What Could've Been: Season 4
by NV19
Summary: AU Version of S4. Read and see how my version goes.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here it is, the beginning of the Season 4 rewrite, which as you can see I have named; What Could've Been: Season 4. Those of you who already tested out the first two chapters a few days ago, I have added a few things here and there since I posted them for you to sample so you might see a few things you don't remember reading. **

**Speaking of that, since some of you—not all—have already read the first two drafts, most of which is unchanged bar a few details; I will post the first two, and then post chapter 3 later on to give you something new to read. **

**Updates will be frequent but also slow, I can't quit my paying job unfortunately. Which's why I've pre-written a few to get a head start. **

**So, enjoy. And let me know what you think.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Succubus, Where Art Thou?**

**Motel**

Lauren had been on the run for about two months now, and after a brief stint working as a waitress in a diner—which was god awful—she decided to put her savings to use and live off her many pay checks from the Fae. She hadn't called Bo once since she left, even when she desperately wanted to.

And there were times like that.

A lot of them in fact.

But not only that, Bo hadn't come looking for her either. Maybe she hated her for what she did at Taft's. Lauren couldn't blame her. She told her she loved her, in the past tense. When of course, that was a bald face lie. Lauren's curse was that she could never stop loving her.

She was having one of those days where she just sat in her janky motel room, the chain on the door, locked up tight with a bottle of whiskey in her hand. She'd also purchased a gun, just in case. For protection purposes only.

And it had come in handy in the first few weeks on the run, she'd been attacked many times. With one time in particular which almost killed her thanks to an infected wound.

Not being around Bo was killing her. So she decided to give in, and call her. She had a cheap burner phone that she'd encrypted so no one could track her. Luckily she knew Bo's number off by heart, so she typed it in and rang it. An automated voice was quick in telling her that the number she'd dialled did not exist.

Huh?

Did Bo change her number? That didn't sound like her. Unless she was actually that mad at Lauren and had blocked her from calling.

Clearing the numbers, she dialled Kenzi's. And thankfully, the tone rang. She heard Kenzi's high pitched voice answer the phone. "Kenzi, hey. It's Lauren" she asked if she was okay. "I'm fine. I'm still on the move. Can't risk the Una Mens finding me if I stay put for too long"

"I hear you Doc!" Kenzi said. "Things are über insane here too. They've got every Fae quaking in their boots. But I'm glad you're okay. Is there something you need? Fake passport, cash?" She was happy to provide help for a fellow runaway.

Lauren smiled, her relationship with Kenzi had come a long way. "No, I'm covered. Thanks though. I was actually calling to talk to Bo"

"Bo?" Kenzi sounded confused. "Who's Bo?"

Laughing tiredly, Lauren rubbed her eyes. "Good one Kenzi. Really funny. Look, I know she's probably still mad at me after what happened at Taft's—but I really need to talk to her"

"Uh, Lauren I think all those months on the run has made you cray-cray. I don't know who you're talking about. I've never even heard of this, _Bo. _Also, isn't that a dude's name?" Kenzi had no idea what she was talking about.

This was worrisome. "Kenzi, Bo is your best friend. You're like sisters! How can you not know who I'm talking about? If this is a joke, it's not funny! Where is she?!" Lauren was getting angry now.

"Okay Doc, chill out. You've been through a lot. Maybe you just need to take a siesta or something—"

"I don't need to sleep, I need to talk to Bo!" Lauren got so irate she threw the burner phone across the room. And watched it smash to pieces as it hit the wall. She didn't know her own strength these days. Luckily she had a few to spare. But that didn't solve her current problem.

Bo had disappeared.

And Kenzi of all people, _didn't _know who she was. And if she didn't know who Bo was, then did that mean Dyson was suffering from the same memory glitch? And if so, why wasn't she effected? She still remembered Bo—every little detail.

Why just her?

One thing Lauren knew, was that she wasn't going to find answers from this room. She had to go back. Even with the Una Mens hunting her like a dog, she had to go home. Because if Bo was missing and she was the only one who knew it, then that left it up to her to lead the search.

She threw some things in a duffle and also tucked her gun into her jeans before grabbing her jacket. She was terrified of being captured by the Una Mens, but she was more terrified of losing Bo to whatever it was that wiped Kenzi's memory.

With a flick of the light switch, she left the room and went to her car.

It was time to go home.

**Clubhouse – Later**

It had been the longest four-hour drive of Lauren's life, but she finally made it. And thanks to her tinted windows and a good pair of ray bans she was complete incognito in her appearance. She got to the crack shack and found Dyson's car outside. But Bo's yellow Camaro wasn't in its usual spot.

Strange.

Lauren jumped out of her car and ran to the front door, and of course it was unlocked like always. She used to berate Bo about leaving the door unlocked. Anyone could've walked in. Especially in this rough neighbourhood. She would always just smile that adorable grin and tell her she was more than capable of protecting herself.

Which was very true.

She walked into the house, and almost screamed in shock when she saw Dyson and Kenzi going at it on the couch. Like, making out, ripping each other's clothes off—going at it. "Oh, I _so_ don't wanna see that!" She covered eyes.

If Bo was here, she'd have a serious problem with this. Best friends don't kiss each other's ex's. It was a rule.

"Lauren!" Kenzi recovered, feeling slightly embarrassed as she placed her shirt back on and jumped off of Dyson's lap. "You're back! Yay!" She gave her a quick hug. "You should've given me a heads-up girl"

Lauren just smiled, while looking away from where Dyson was as he covered his naked torso. "Yeah, I really should've. But I figured it was an emergency, since I'm the only one who seems to know that Bo is missing!"

Kenzi rolled her eyes. "Again, with this Bo chick?" She sighed. "I told Dyson, and he doesn't know who she is either. Are you sure you haven't suffered a recent blow to your melon?" She pointed at her head.

Ironically, she had since she'd been attacked by various bounty hunters over the weeks but Lauren knew her mind and she wasn't hallucinating. Well, not this time anyway.

"No!" She yelled. "I'm not crazy! Bo exists—" she realised maybe for them that wasn't true. "At least, she does for me. And I have to find her. You guys are obviously under some kind of spell, that's probably why you can't remember her. I guess I'll have to do this myself" she tried to think of where to start.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Kenzi quickly went to answer it, to find a brunette dressed in black asking for help to find her daughter. "And your name is?" Kenzi asked.

"Aife" She said. "My name is Aife"

Lauren heard the name, and immediately saw Bo's Mother being let into the house by Kenzi. "You're supposed to be dead" she frowned at her. "Taft stabbed you" she'd heard it before left the Observatory.

Aife looked at her. "You knew Taft?"

"Briefly" Lauren was vague about their relationship. "Why are you here again?" She noticed she had a picture in her hand. She heard Aife tell Kenzi that she needed help in finding her daughter, and handed them a picture of her which Lauren quickly snatched out of their hands. "This is her!" She tapped the photo with a smile. "This is Bo"

Aife didn't know who this woman was, but she knew about her daughter when no one else did. "Who are you?"

"I'm Lauren, Bo's—" Lauren was about to say Girlfriend, but then remembered that it was inaccurate. "Friend. I don't know why I'm the only one who remembers her, but I know she's in danger. I can feel it"

It was nice to know Aife wasn't alone in this. "That makes two of us. And as for the why, I think I might have an idea of what happened. I found this last night—" she pulled down her right eyelid, showing her a foreign mark.

Lauren checked it out, "A recuerdo coil. Conclusive proof that a Fae has been messing with your memory. You guys should check yourselves for the coil as well" She turned to Kenzi and Dyson.

They protested a bit first, but after a stern look from her they both checked each other. And they had the same mark Aife had. Kenzi also checked Lauren for it, but she didn't have anything. "So you're saying, we know this Bo chick but we can't remember? Why?"

"Because someone doesn't want us to, that's why" Lauren said.

Aife still had a question. "But you do" She pointed at Lauren. "I wonder why that is. Do you share a deep connection with my daughter?"

Instead of beating around the bush, Lauren came clean. "I love your daughter. More than anything in this life. We ended things a few months ago, but I haven't stopped thinking about her since" she let out a breath.

It felt good to get it out.

"There's your reason" Aife smiled. "A true love, one rooted deep within, is powerful enough to negate a memory Fae's effects. That's why you remember her" she was glad her Daughter had someone.

Kenzi was a little overwhelmed by all this new information. How could she not remember someone who was supposed to be her best friend? But now that she thought about it, she did feel like something was missing. She just ignored it.

"What kind of Fae could do this to us?" She asked.

Lauren thought it over, humming. "Kierans don't have the power to wipe all of our memories at once, and they wouldn't leave a coil behind. But an Ortenax might" Kenzi asked what that was. "It's a Fish Fae that extracts memories. If I remember correctly, the Light Fae have one. He moonlights as a Doctor downtown"

"Dr. Snook" Dyson exhaled, thinking of him. "I've dealt with him before. When we've needed to cover our tracks" the Ash would hire him on occasion when a Human got wind of them.

"Let's go see him" Lauren said. "He might be able to reverse whatever this is. And when you guys finally have your memories of Bo back, we can look for her as a team" she would do it by herself but with her being a target it would be difficult.

Aife clapped her hands. "Great! So while you guys handle that, I'll be down at the harbour. It's fleet week, and a girl's gotta eat" she quickly jotted down her number and have it to Kenzi. "Call me when you find something" she turned around and left.

"Umm, rude much?" Kenzi gave a disapproving scowl. "Her daughter's missing and she would rather hook up with a bunch of sailors? Some Mom, huh?"

"She's a Succubus, so it's not a shock that she'd want to go down there. It's like an all you can eat buffet" Lauren said. If Bo was here, she'd probably be down there too.

Dyson's mind clicked in that moment. Aife was a Succubus. He knew her name was familiar. She was Trick's daughter. The one who killed the Light Fae Elders three years ago. He'd been looking for her for centuries. He should tell him. "I just need to stop by the Dal to fill Trick in, then we'll go" he picked up his jacket off the couch.

"We don't have time for that!" Lauren shouted. "Every second we waste, is another second Bo's not here. And god only knows who has her—who wiped her from your memories. She could be hurt" she wasn't wasting anymore time.

Dyson understood all that, but he didn't know this Bo yet. Lauren was only feeling this way because she was in love with her. "Your emotions are clouding your judgment Lauren. We need to play this smart. I know Snook, he's not gonna help us if we go in guns high"

"My emotions?" Lauren rubbed her face with a laugh, she couldn't believe he said that. "My emotions got me this far. And I'm not giving up until I find her, even if you're willing to. I'll talk to Snook myself!" She stormed out of the house.

Kenzi raised both eyebrows at her display. "Dang, Doc don't play" She had never heard her so motivated.

"I'm gonna head over to the Dal, fill Trick in" Dyson approached Kenzi with a smile. He felt bad that they were getting somewhere while Hale was left out in the cold. "Feel like finishing this later?"

"Hells yes" Kenzi gave him a kiss, and playfully smacked his bottom on his way out. Right now, she had to get changed.

**Dr. Snook's Practice – Later**

Trying to avoid every single person on the street was proving to be a bit of a task. Lauren has a hoodie under jacket so she could hide her face in addition to wearing sunglasses when there was zero sun outside. She managed to make it one piece to Snook's office, and demanded to see him urgently.

When the girl at the desk told her she'd have to wait, Lauren barged into Snook's office and noticed him extracting the memories of a woman. Apparently, her Husband cheated on her and he was making her forget it. That was a mercy. But Lauren couldn't help but notice the recuerdo coil on her eye too. He must've been the one who did this.

Dr. Snook noticed his uninvited guest, and quickly finished up with his patient and saw her out with a smile. "I know you" he snapped his fingers, trying to remember her name. "Ah yes! Dr. Lewis, _former_ Chief Medical Officer for the Light. And currently, a wanted fugitive. What stops me from turning you in right now?"

He had no problem doing it.

Lauren reached into the front pocket of her jeans, and showed him a wad of cash. "How about a cash advance?" She tossed it over to him, watching him count it. "I have a problem. One I think you created. My friends have had certain memories extracted and all that's left is your disgusting coil. I need you to undo it"

"As much as I'd love to help you, I only _extract_ memories. I don't return them. And I assure you, I don't do group extractions either. I treat people on a one to one basis. I prefer it. Whoever took your friends' memories, has a lot more power than me" he tucked the cash into his jacket pocket.

"If you can't reverse it then who can?" She asked.

He shrugged. "Probably the same person who performed the extraction. I must say, if they did what you said they must be very talented"

"Not that talented" Lauren replied. "Their extraction fell short with me. I still remember the person they tried to make me forget" she was oddly proud of that. And it was something she had on Dyson.

Ha.

"Hmm" he let out with a frown. "That doesn't usually happen. Whoever this person is, you must share a strong connection for the effect not to take hold. Can't say I've ever seen that before" it was interesting.

"Is there any way I can restore my friends' memories?" Lauren asked him, she needed this to happen now.

Snook exhaled. "I know of only one way. You need to find the recuerdo compass. Once you have it, you need to set the dials to true north and then break it. That will disable the effects of the coil and restore whatever memories it's suppressing. But don't ask me where it is, because I have no idea" he was honest.

"Luckily I know just the man to ask" Lauren thanked him for his help, and quickly left the practise. She was one step closer to finding Bo.

She just hoped there was a Bo to find.

**The Dal – Lair**

Kenzi got a text from Lauren telling her what they needed to restore their memories, and told her to ask Trick. So Kenzi quickly made her way over to her favourite bar, and found him chatting with Dyson. They were up to something. "Howdy boys, mind if I crash your gabfest?"

Trick waved her inside. "Not at all. Dyson tells me Lauren's back" he had people looking for her and now she just showed up. "That was unexpected"

"Sure was T-man, but the good Doc came baring weird news. Or did Dyson not get to that part yet?" She raised an eyebrow at the handsome Shifter.

"I told him all about this _Bo_ person we're supposed to be remembering and also about the weird marks under our eyes. Speaking of which, did Lauren get anywhere with Snook?" Dyson asked.

He'd been a bit busy filling Trick in on Aife's return as well as Lauren's. He was shocked at both.

Kenzi nodded, "Yep, she just texted. Apparently this troutometrist _isn't _the guppy responsible for our clean slates. But he told Lauren about something called the recuerdo compass, if we find it and break it, it'll restore our memories"

Trick closed his eyes, sighing. Of course that was what they needed. Nothing was ever easy. "I know who has that. His name's Engelram"

"I know that dude, he's throwing a super swanky party tonight" she turned to Dyson. "Think you can get us some tix?" If anyone could it was him.

Dyson smiled. "Probably. I'll get three for you, me and Hale—"

"Make that four" Lauren entered the room from the stairs. "I'm going with you. Trick, nice to see you" she gave him a nod.

Trick did the same. "Lauren. Good to have you home"

"Okay then, I guess we're going to a party. I'll see what I can do about those tickets. Leave it with me" Dyson quickly ran up the stairs and left.

"I guess that leaves us to pick out something to wear" Kenzi turned to Lauren with an excited smile. "Let's go Doc!" She dragged Lauren up the stairs with her. "Catch you later Trick!" She shouted as they left.

Trick saw the picture Dyson left of the woman Aife was claiming to be her daughter. And as he held it, he noticed a pain run down his arms. This wasn't right. It was clear this Bo wasn't just a missing person, she meant something more.

But why didn't he remember?

**Clubhouse – Later**

While Dyson was out trying to acquire tickets for Engelram's party, Kenzi told Lauren she could borrow something to wear from her closet. But when they got there all Lauren could do was gape at the changes Kenzi had made to Bo's bedroom.

"She's gonna kill you when she sees what you've done to her bed" Lauren looked at the four poster bed and saw that Kenzi had completely removed the drapes that hung over the posts. Bo loved those.

Kenzi was a little tired of hearing about this Bo, were they really that close? How could they be if she didn't remember her? "As far as I'm concerned it's _my_ bed. I get that you have this weird knowledge about Bo, but could you maybe keep it yourself? It's creeping me out"

Lauren gave a thumbs up. "Sure, no problem. And I'm sorry, I just hate not knowing where she is and if she's okay. I missed her so much while I was gone, and now I find out she's been erased from existence. It's a lot to process"

"I bet" Kenzi went to her closet. "So, what tickles your fancy Doc? I got sparkly, I got silk, I even have velvet if that's what you're into" she rummaged around the wardrobe.

It was sweet of her to offer her own clothes, but Lauren knew there was no way she'd fit into Kenzi's size. She was tiny. That was when she noticed a box of stuff next to the wardrobe. "What's in there?" She pointed at it.

Kenzi followed the direction she pointed in. "Oh, just some crap I found when I moved in. Whoever crashed here before must've left them behind. Feel free to take a look" she went back to looking for a dress.

Picking up the box, Lauren blew out a puff of air to get rid of the dust on top. She opened it up, and saw various garments of clothing. And they were all the colour black, and they were all made of leather. "These are Bo's!"

Turning around, Kenzi gave a frown. "That's impossible. I told you I don't remember her. Why would I box up her shit?" how would her clothes get here. Then she realised something else. "Come to think about it, I don't _remember_ boxing those up" she was confused.

But Lauren has a theory. "Whoever took your memories was thorough. They probably boxed up Bo's stuff and left it here while you were under the effects of the extraction. Then afterward, you came home thinking everything was normal" what a dick.

This person had gone to a lot of trouble to make sure Bo was eradicated. Why?

"Heavy" Kenzi breathed. She felt so violated.

Lauren reached in, and found one of Bo's prized black jackets. She held it close, thinking of how much she missed her. It brought a tear to her eye. "Where are you Bo?" She whispered to herself.

"If she's out there, we'll find her" Kenzi felt bad for her. She could see that whoever this Bo was, held a big place in Lauren's heart. And all this time she thought Nadia was the love of her life. Maybe that's what the memory glitch wanted her to think.

Nodding, Lauren wiped her tears. "I know" she put the jacket aside, and kept digging through the box. She found a black dress that Bo owned. She didn't think she'd look as good as Bo would wearing it, but at least it would fit. "This'll do" she picked it up and took it to the bathroom.

As they both got dressed, Kenzi noticed the two scars on the front and back of Lauren's right shoulder. She explained that life on the run had been a little rough and she'd had a few close calls with some bounty hunters.

Kenzi really felt bad, she'd been branded a criminal by the Fae too but she wasn't going through the same thing.

Dyson and Hale entered the room and saw their lovely dates. "Ladies, may I say you both look gorgeous tonight?" Hale gave Kenzi's hand a kiss.

Dyson also took her hand, and kissed it. As he lifted his head, he gave her subtle wink. "You're breathtaking"

Lauren couldn't fathom the thought of Kenzi and Dyson together. Kenzi and Hale? Maybe. But not Kenzi and Dyson. She wondered what Bo would think if she was here. She neglected to tell Dyson how much Bo meant to him, mostly because she didn't want to be back in _the_ triangle.

"Okay!" She clapped her hands, putting an end to this madness. "I say, we should make a move. We need to get that compass. Fast"

"Right, so we can get Boo back" Dyson stepped back from Kenzi.

Lauren corrected him; "Bo!" She made it clear. "Her name is Bo. You are really gonna hate yourself when you get your memories back" she kind of missed his unwanted devotion. At least he got things done.

This Dyson didn't seem to care. How much could things really have changed in a few months?

"What's that supposed to mean?" He frowned at her.

Lauren smirked at him, "You'll find out soon enough" she walked passed them and made her way to the door. "Let's go!" The three of them followed her out, and to Hale's limo.

He had to use his family money to try and win Kenzi over. That was always his go to move.

**Engelram's Party – Later**

The gangs arrived just in time, and the tickets weren't a problem at all. Which Dyson was surprised by because he got them from Vex of all people. The four of them walked into the venue, and saw many people dancing and partying. Hale then spun the story of Engelram's true nature as an Amphisbaenia and that he granted wishes to girls.

Kenzi thought of a few wishes she could make right now. Maybe one to make her fully Fae. And not the cheap knock off version Massimo had turned her into. Him and his stupid Sparkle Extract that cost an arm and a leg. She was already on the hook for two cases. And she wasn't proud of it but she'd been stealing from Trick to cover her tab.

His relics were worth a pretty penny.

"We need to talk to him" Lauren said. "And find out where the compass is" she turned around when she saw something catch her eye. It was a woman at the bar. "Bo?" She could've sworn she saw her face. But within her second blink, the woman was gone.

Strange.

"Okay guys, we need to establish a—" She spun around to find her friends on the dance floor. Hale, Kenzi and Dyson were engaged in a weird version of a tango. It was like they were fighting over her. This was too weird. "I'm so not drunk enough for this" she went back to the bar.

After nauseatingly watch them dance, and also become shocked when Kenzi shot fireworks from her hands; she saw a waitress hand Kenzi a rose and invite her to meet Engelram. "You did it! Let's go!" She dragged Kenzi to the back.

Once there they met with the infamous Engelram, who wasn't just a well dressed man, but his lower half was that of a snake. He asked Kenzi what her wish was. Her dance had earned it.

"Uh" Kenzi stuttered, looking at Lauren who was telling her to ask for what they came here for. But Kenzi couldn't help but think, what if she asked to be made Fae? He said anything she wanted, could be granted.

"Kenzi, what're you doing?" Lauren couldn't believe she was hesitant. "I know how you feel"

Kenzi looked at her with a frown. "Oh you do, do you? And tell me Doc, how do I feel?" She had the chance to wish for anything. And she was supposed to use it to save a woman she didn't know.

How was that fair?

Though she may not remember Bo, Lauren could see it all over Kenzi's face. "You feel loss. And your heart hurts, but you don't know why. I do, it's because you love Bo more than anything. You're sisters. And being without her kills you. Even if you can't remember"

And damn it, that was exactly how Kenzi felt. Without responding, she looked at Engelram. "Compass thingy, please" she smiled at him.

"Very well" Engelram snapped his fingers, and the compass appeared in her hands. "But before you go, might I interest you in a bite?"

Kenzi shook her head. "We're not hungry" like she could think about eating right now.

Engelram smirked evilly. "That's too bad, because I am!" He began chasing them through the collection room. Hell bent on making them his dinner. As he was about to strike, he found himself pinned to a wall by an axe in his tail. He was losing a lot of blood. "Oh my" he dropped to the floor, taking his final breaths.

Dyson ran over, "Thought you guys could use a hand" they both asked where Hale was. "He's taking care of a party crasher" his Partner was currently giving Vex what he deserved. "Is that it?" He looked at the compass in Kenzi's hand.

"Yeah" Kenzi opened it and found that the screen was cracked. But Lauren checked them both and they still had the coils. "Now what?"

Lauren took it from her, "We have to set it to true north. Let me" She began setting the hands to their proper spots. And as she finished, Dyson and Kenzi felt a sharp pain in their heads. "I hope that means it worked"

Kenzi looked at Dyson, holding a hand to her chest. "Bo" she breathed. "Oh my god! She's gone—she's _been_ gone this entire time and we forgot about her! We suck!"

Dyson couldn't believe he forgot about the woman he loved. "We really do" some friends they turned out to be. "We'll find her. Maybe you should go home and get some rest" he touched Kenzi's arm.

But she brushed him off. "No, I can't. Until she's back, I can't even breathe" she felt terrible.

"Welcome to my world" Lauren said. She felt the exact same way about not having Bo around. "We need to figure out where Bo was last seen"

"Tamsin" Dyson mumbled. "She was the last person to see her at Taft's. We need to find her. Maybe she knows who took Bo"

Lauren nodded. "It's a start"

Kenzi breathed deeply, "Okay people, we've got a Succubus to find. Let's get to work" the three of them left the building.

They had a lot to do.

**Unknown Location**

After so long asleep, her eyes shot open. Years of memories came flooding back to her. Memories of her friends, her family, and her life. The life she was forced to forget. One huge part of that life was her Succubus nature.

And she was counting on that part to get her out of this. Back to her life, back to her friends, and back to her love

Her brown eyes turned bright blue.

Bo was ready to go home.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Just to make you aware, there will be 13 chapters to this fic just like the episodes. So every episode will be written in one chapter so some of them might be a little long.**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Tell Me How You Really Feel**

**Clubhouse, Bo's Room – Next Morning**

While Dyson was off inspecting the crash site, he and Tamsin wound up in two months ago, Lauren and Kenzi were trying to get the house back to how it used to be before Bo was wiped from existence. After putting her bed back the way it was, Lauren found Kenzi gathering up Bo's favourite things on a table opposite the bed.

"Really?" Lauren picked up a bottle with a frown. "Lube?" There were over three different kinds here.

Kenzi didn't see the big deal. "What? It's chocolate, her fave. I also have actual chocolate. And, some champers" she placed a bottle in an ice bucket. "Candy, and I got a lead on some Victoria Secret models. I'm talking _runway_" she whispered the last part.

"We haven't actually found her yet Kenz" Lauren sighed. She wanted to find Bo more than anything, but they had no leads yet.

"Exactly, _yet_ being the operative word. Dyson's out chasing up a lead on Tamsin, he's also checking out Taft's observatory for a scent. Hale's trying to track her from the Cop Shop and Trick's got some feelers out with his peeps" Kenzi quickly summarised everything.

Lauren knew all of this, "Yeah, and so far we still have nothing. I just want her back" she dropped down onto the bed with a huff.

Kenzi joined her. They were both at a loss. "I'm sorry I wasn't much help before. It's lucky the memory wipe didn't affect you. Or we wouldn't have known. I'm still a bit confused about that. I mean, I love Bo to the moon and back and yet my memory of her was still erased"

"I wish I had an answer for you Kenzi" Lauren said. "Maybe it took a romantic connection to be the difference and not a familial connection" she realised how stupid that sounded. "Honestly, I don't know"

Suddenly, Dyson stepped in the room and cleared his throat. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" They shook their heads. Kenzi asked if he had a lead. "Maybe. Come with me" he nodded his head towards the door.

He found something they needed to see.

**Downstairs**

The two ladies were confused as to what they were looking at. Kenzi thought the little girl looked like a minute version of herself. Whereas Lauren was just wondering who she was. "Are we running an orphanage now?" She asked him. "Dyson, we don't have time for this. I thought you were looking for Tamsin"

"That's just it" He gestured to the girl. "I think this _is _Tamsin. Valkyries have many lives. I keep going over the crash in my head. And the only reason I survived is because I shifted in time. Tamsin didn't have that option. I think she died that day, and now she's been reborn" he looked at the girl sitting on the kitchen island playing with a knife.

It wasn't child friendly.

Lauren was sceptical. "We can't know that for sure"

Kenzi agreed. "I'm with Lauren on this one. We don't have time to be babysitting, we have to find Bo" that was her only priority.

"Tamsin was the last one to see Bo at Taft's observatory. Not to mention she said something about Bo's Father right before she drove us off the cliff" Dyson said. He remembered seeing a shadowy figure on the road that day, and how Tamsin said it was Bo's father before trying to run him down.

Which, didn't work out as well as she'd planned.

"Bo doesn't even know anything about her Father. How the hell does Tamsin know?" Kenzi knew that Bo always wanted to know more about her Father, but no one knew who he was. Not even Trick.

"That's something we're gonna have to get out of her. Though—" Lauren sighed heavily. "I don't think she's gonna be much help to us now. That's assuming this girl _is _Tamsin" she wasn't so sure yet.

The little girl stood up on the island, "Peace out losers, imma go play!" She launched the knife at the wall with an impressive accuracy. "Later!" She jumped off the island and went to the living room.

Dyson, Kenzi and Lauren smiled at each other while all saying the same two words. "It's Tamsin"

A few hours passed, and Trick had arrived with a box of things he thought might help find Bo. Lauren went through it too, but found nothing of use. But she did notice something else. "Trick, what happened to your arm?" She saw the slash wounds under his right forearm.

Both Dyson and Kenzi had their eyes on his after Lauren asked her question. They couldn't believe they didn't notice it before. "You good Trickster?"

Trick waved his hand. "I'm fine. Just a mishap with a barrel change"

Since he was being evasive, and clearly didn't want to tell the truth; Lauren was going to let it go. But she knew he was lying. She'd seen a lot of wounds in her day. And she knew a knife slash when she saw one. But right now, she had Bo to think about.

"There's one sure fire way of finding Bo" Trick spoke over the silence in the room. "We need a directional device. Like the compass you left behind at Engelram's"

Lauren reached into her back pocket, and showed it to him. "This compass?" Kenzi admired her sticky fingers. "I learned from the best" she smiled at her. Other than picking a lock, Kenzi had shown Lauren many things while she and Bo were dating.

After they got over their differences after Evony's parasite attack, they actually found that they had a lot in common.

Trick took it from her and began fiddling with it, walking away.

Dyson grabbed his jacket, "While Trick does that, I think you guys should stay here and work on little Tamsin. See if you can get her to talk. Though without her adult memories that might be difficult" Trick mentioned that she might suppress them due to all the death she'd seen as a Valkyrie on the battlefields.

That was very convenient.

"You really think I'm going to stay here when my Girlfriend is missing?" Lauren looked at Dyson in disbelief. How could he expect her to sit back?

"Ex-Girlfriend, if I recall correctly" Dyson couldn't help himself from stating that fact. "And there's nothing you can do. I can chase down a lead by myself"

Lauren folded her arms with a sarcastic laugh. "This is so like you. You just want me to stay here so that when you find Bo, she'll see you as the big hero who came to rescue her. Maybe you think doing that, will stir some feelings in her about you"

"This isn't about my feelings" he said.

"Isn't it?" Lauren asked. "I can't say that mine and Bo's relationship has been easy. But I love her, and I know she loves me" she told her so back at Taft's.

He hated hearing that, even though he knew it was true. "Whether she does or not, I still fight for her because I know how _I_ feel"

Lauren caught him out, "I thought you said this wasn't about _your _feelings" he couldn't answer her. "You'll never change Dyson. And if you think forcing your love on Bo is what she wants, then you're not as smart as you think you are!"

"Enough!" Trick yelled. He was sick of their arguing. "We have bigger problems"

Kenzi stepped forward. "What is it? Did you find Bo?"

"It's not that simple unfortunately" he held the compass in his hands. "According to this, Bo's no longer on this physical plane"

Lauren gasped, that was impossible. "Then where is she Trick?" It was just getting from bad to worse.

"I have no idea" Trick replied worriedly.

**Unknown Location**

Bo woke up, feeling very groggy. She blinked a few times and found herself in a dimly lit room. She sat up, and saw that she was laying on a bed. In a night gown that she did not remember putting on. It was so not her style. "Where the hell am I?" She mumbled to herself.

Standing, she took her first steps from the bed and found the room shaking around her. She saw a crack in the window in front of her so she went to inspect it and found that she wasn't in a normal room at all. "A train?" She looked out of the window.

And saw nothing but darkness as the train she was on kept speeding ahead. She wondered how the hell she got here, and then went back to the last things she remembered. She made a mental list in her mind. Starting with;

Fighting with Tamsin after she tried to kill her with a magic potion that turned out to be a dud.

Finding Aife only to have her die in her arms after Taft stabbed her.

Ordering Dyson to hunt him down and kill him.

Finding Lauren, seeing the hurt in her eyes as she heard Bo say she was at Taft's place to save Dyson. She didn't want Lauren to think she'd chosen him over looking for her. But Bo never expected to find Lauren there. She just thought Taft was copying her research.

The big shocker was that Lauren wasn't even her real name. And honestly, it did make Bo wonder if anything she said about herself was true. But that contemplation lasted for about two seconds. It didn't matter what her name was. Bo couldn't care if she had a hundred different ones before she met her.

She told Lauren that day that it didn't matter who she used to be, because Bo loved her regardless. It wasn't like Bo didn't have a few skeletons in her closet. Baggage or no baggage, Lauren was her love.

And it didn't matter who she was before.

But Bo was devastated when Lauren said that she loved her, using past tense. Was that true? Or was it a lie? She couldn't be sure anymore. One thing she did know, was that she wasn't going to figure any of that out stuck on this stupid train.

She had to get out of here.

**The Dal**

Against Dyson's wishes, Lauren tagged a long with him and Trick to the Dal where Trick was looking for some trackers they could ask for help from to find Bo on whatever plane she was on. They ruled out three different ones, but Trick had only one specific person in mind.

"Endimian?" Dyson said, raising his eyebrows. "He's infamous" he'd heard of him through the centuries.

Trick kept rifling through his books. "Mhmm. He's also elusive. No one's seen or heard from him for over eight hundred years"

Lauren closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose with a frustrated sigh. "Then how do we find him?" She just wanted a straight answer from someone. "There's gotta be someone who knows where he is, or at the very least—where to look"

Finally finding what he was looking for, Trick jotted down an address on a piece of paper. "There is. Her name's Selene. An old Girlfriend of Eddie's if I remember correctly. She might know where to look" he extended his hand that held the paper.

Dyson went to reach for it at the same time as Lauren, both of them caught in an uncomfortable stare. But being Bo's most recent partner, he dropped his hand and let Lauren take it.

Lauren held the paper, and read the address. "Thanks Trick. Let's go" she passed Dyson on the way up the stairs.

But Trick called him back before he followed her. "Word of advice Dyson?" He stepped forward with his hands behind his back. "Know when to let go" he knew Dyson loved Bo.

That was his curse unfortunately. But Bo clearly didn't feel that way about him anymore. And to keep fighting for someone who doesn't want to be fought for, would just make him miserable. Because he'd never achieve the result he wanted.

"I can't" Dyson replied. His Wolf wouldn't allow him to. Maybe one day he would let go, but right now he was going to fight. And since Bo and Lauren weren't actually a couple right now, he was going to take his shot.

Even if it was the last one.

He turned around and ran up the stairs after Lauren.

**Rail Yard – Later**

Selene was no help at all.

In fact, she tried to delay their search of Eddie. After a wild goose chase, Dyson and Lauren found Eddie confined to a bed in a hidden room at Selene's Salon—after they were almost clawed to pieces by the staff thanks to a strange woman. Luckily they escaped and freed him.

To thank them for their help, he told them he would find Bo free of charge. But he had certain requirements that needed to be met.

"You must tell me about Bo" he said. "Everything and anything you can think of. I must _know_ her—really and truly _know_ her" it was his only stipulation.

Dyson didn't know what to say. "What, how she dances like no one's watching—that kind of thing?"

Eddie grumbled at him, "Nothing so trivial my boy"

Suddenly, Dyson got a text from Kenzi revealing a picture of what looked like Bo and some guy on a tarot card. It read _The Wanderer_ below it. It was also burnt around the edges, and had Roman numerals across the top. "What about this? Does this help?" He showed Eddie.

And he did not like what he saw. "Ooh, good heavens. That is not a good sign. I'm afraid that wherever your Bo is, she's on a plane that I will _not_ be able to help you enter. Pity too, because if she's where I think she is; she's in serious trouble"

"Eddie, you've gotta help us!" Dyson begged him.

"Apologies, but you couldn't even tell me anything meaningful about her. So, I'm afraid that ends our transaction" Eddie made a move to walk off with his umbrella.

Lauren wasn't going to let him leave. She had to find Bo. "She has the most beautiful heart!" She saw Eddie stop and turn around, he was listening. "She's gorgeous, impetuous, painfully stubborn, and devotes herself to everyone around her. I can't eat or sleep—I can't even breathe. She's the love of my life—my everything, and being without her makes me want to die. So _please_ Eddie" she cried. "You have to help me find her"

Dyson had never heard Lauren speak with such passion. How could he compete with that when he couldn't even say how he felt out loud?

Eddie applauded her. "That was magnificent! Such passion!" He had chills. "Such desire. What you share with her is true, I can feel it. And that is why it would be my honour to find her for you. Come, my dear! Let us find your beloved!" He held out his hand for Lauren to take.

She held it as he yanked her under his umbrella. "Thank you" She walked ahead with him, leaving Dyson to follow behind in the rain.

Unbeknownst to them, there was someone watching them as they conducted their search.

Lauren kept walking at Eddie's side for about half an hour with Dyson following behind. Eddie talked her ear off about a battle with a guy named Otto, and that he won using a technique that allowed him to manipulate five different dimensional shifts.

"That's great Eddie, now these dimensional shifts?" She got his attention back on the problem at hand. "To find Bo on whatever plane she's on, we'll have to find a way to move between them. Right?"

Eddie nodded, "Yes my dear, but it's not as easy as that. It takes time—"

She stopped him from walking with hand on his arm and a serious expression on her face. "The girl I love is out there somewhere. She could be hurt, or worse. We don't have time to waste"

"My dear, if I couldn't find your beloved; would I have these?!" He held out his right hand, revealing three plastic tiger's heads in his palm.

She just looked at them. "Am I supposed to know what those are?" She had no clue.

"All we have to do, is find something that's out of place. Something that's caught between the dimensions—between time itself!" Eddie closed his hand, and began looking around.

Dyson then noticed something. "Eddie? What about that?" He pointed over in the direction in front of them. "Those two vendors appear in the same place at the exact same time" he noticed the vendors revealed themselves as a blur.

Maybe there was some stock to this whole dimensional thing after all.

"Good eye, my boy!" He smiled, that was the shift they were looking for. "Let us have a chat with him!" He walked off in the vendors' direction.

Dyson stopped Lauren from moving with a hand on her arm, he'd been sensing something for a while now. "We're being followed" he looked around but didn't find anything.

"Who?" Lauren asked quietly.

He sniffed the air, "Not sure, definitely Fae though. Keep your eyes open. Eddie?" He turned to his right, but found no one there. "Damn it!" He saw Eddie a few feet away buying a hot dog from the vendor. He was supposed to be opening a dimension gateway.

_Not_ stuffing his face.

Lauren ran after him, and pulled him away to continued their search. She and Dyson kept walking with him for ten more minutes, while he relished in the taste of a disgustingly delicious treat. But suddenly, she came to a halt when she noticed an object among pieces of scrap.

"Eddie, I think I found something." She asked him. "It has Fae etchings, but the dialect is ancient. I can't translate it. Do you know what this is?"

Eddie swallowed what was left of his hot dog, eyeing the contraption suspiciously. "It appears to be some kind of condiment dispenser"

Lauren looked at him dumb. "How long have you been asleep at Selene's?" She was starting to see him for all he was worth. Which was nothing. He replied that he'd been there for a few centuries now. "You can't track like this, you're useless to us!" She walked away with a sigh.

Things were just getting bad to worse.

"How dare you!" Eddie exclaimed. "I am perfectly capable of figuring this out. Watch!" He walked up to the weird contraption. "I just need to tap a few buttons" he went to press one.

But Lauren and Dyson were taken aback when a woman pushed Eddie out of the way and tackled him to the ground with an umbrella. She told him that if he opened a gate to another dimension without a ticket, it would end bad for everyone.

Like, kaboom—bad.

Dyson pulled her off of Eddie, and recognised her from Selene's salon. She tried to stop them from working with Eddie. "Who the hell are you?!"

"I'm Eddie!" She yelled, straightening her clothes.

Dyson and Lauren looked at each other confused. Now they had two Eddie's. But which one could help them find Bo?

"This woman, is Clio!" Eddie dusted off his blazer. "She is a thief of identities—" he ended up in an argument with her, she told him that she'd been taking all his clients while he was making babies with Selene.

Lauren rubbed her face tiredly. It had been a long day. "Look, I don't care how it happens or who does it. But one of you is going to help us find Bo!"

"I'd be happy to" Clio smiled at her.

"This is outrageous!" Eddie shouted. "I am the famous Endimian!" He walked away, "You will all weep as I leave you in the hands of this no-good hack!" He began singing a song, and stepped over to the train tracks.

Clio waved at him. "Have a nice ride!" She watched as a train hit him at full speed. "So, how about that ticket?" She spun around to Lauren and Dyson. "You do have one, don't you?"

Dyson thought back to the picture Kenzi sent him. "You know what? I think we do, follow us" he walked off with Lauren, telling her what he had planned.

It was time to get their ticket.

**Later**

It took a chunk of time out of their day.

But Dyson and Lauren finally had a solid lead on finding Bo, thanks to Kenzi who provided them with their so-called ticket. Clio was the only one who could touch it without being burned up, due to her Elemental status. Everything was going well.

Lauren couldn't help but wonder something though. "Why're you helping us?"

"Can't a girl do something out of the goodness of her heart?" Clio tried to use the ticket on the machine. But Dyson pulled her hand back before she could. "Do you want to find your Succubus or not?"

"Answer her question, why're you helping us when you tried to have us killed earlier?" Dyson wanted to know.

Clio pushed him away with a sigh. "I thought you were bunching up on my territory. But now I see I had absolutely nothing to worry about so I can please do this?" She went back to the machine. "Also, this looks like fun" she inserted the tarot card into the slot.

The machine sucked it in, and let out a ding. The light on the train tracks turned from green to red. "What now? We get on a train? Will it take us to Bo?"

"I hope so, I've never actually done this before. And this dimensional stuff can be a little unpredictable. Come on!" Clio moved over to the train tracks. But when Dyson and Lauren both tried to follow her, she held up her hand. "The ticket only allows two passengers, and I'm your guide so—one or the other"

Lauren looked at Dyson, he expected her to stay back. "Do we need to have a repeat of this morning?"

He didn't have time to argue. "Lauren, I know you want to help. But it's better if I go. I'm—"

"Fae?" Lauren replied.

He turned away with a laugh, he was sick of tip toeing around her. "You want me to say it? Fine! Yes, I'm Fae. I have power and strength that you will never possess. And it's exactly those qualities, that make me perfect for this mission. You won't be able to do anything, you're Human"

Wow.

Lauren would say she was surprised, but honestly she wasn't. "I bet you've been dying to get that out, haven't you Dyson? Being perfectly tailored for this job has nothing to do with it. You just want it to be you, so that when you eventually find Bo; she'll look to you as her knight in shining armour. When will you learn? She doesn't need one"

"I stood back before" he said. "I watched you two together. It tore me apart. And it took every ounce of strength I had not to rip you away from her. I spared you"

"What do you want, a medal?" Lauren asked him. He was just full of home truths today. "Try and hear me, because I'm not gonna repeat myself—I love Bo more than you ever can. And that love gives me all the _strength_ and _power_ I need. So if you'll excuse me, I have a train to catch" she began walking towards Clio.

He bowed his head, stepping back. How could he argue with that? If he tried to make her stay, it would just waste time they didn't have. Though, after his little revelation he knew it would come back to bite him in the ass later. Especially if Lauren told Bo what he said.

She moved over to Clio on the tracks and stood behind her. The ground beneath them shook, and they noticed something in the distance. "What is that?"

Clio almost crapped her panties. "Holy shit, that's a death train. I can't promise this'll be fun. Hang on to your nickers honey, this'll be a bumpy ride" she held Lauren's hand, they had to be joined so they could pass through the train.

Dyson watched as a huge black train came rushing towards them, and as it hit them, both Clio and Lauren faded into the void. That must've meant it worked.

It was up to Lauren now.

**Unknown Location**

Bo had been at a loss all day.

She'd tried picking the lock on the door, but it didn't work. She also swayed the maid that came to bring her lunch. But when she asked her questions about where she was and who took her, the main refused to answer. She just said _he _was going to be angry if Bo tried to leave.

After using too much of her power, the maid was rendered useless to her. So she left her on the bed to sleep it off. Bo began kicking down the door at the very end of the carriage. It took a few minutes but she finally got it open. All she saw was darkness. This was meant to be a train, and yet she saw no tracks.

Right now, she didn't care. She just had one thought.

"Time to go home" she took a courageous breath, and jumped off the end of the carriage.

Into the darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Three in one!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Lovers, Together**

**Death Train**

Lauren and Clio reemerged on board the shaky train, it smelt like death, and the lighting was horrifying dim. But that wasn't all. Lauren felt like keeling over as soon as her feet touched the floor. Her insides were aching terribly. "What's happening to me?!" She coughed, touching her head.

"It's just a bit of transcendental sickness. I can help" Clio touched Lauren's face with both hands, and turned her head to the side as she whistled softly in her ear. "Better?" She pulled her hands away.

Taking a deep breath, Lauren felt herself return to normal. "Much, thanks. What the hell was that?" She'd never heard of what Clio said. And she was a Doctor, so any kind of sickness should've been in her wheel house.

"Non-Elementals like yourself can't pass through different dimensions without getting sick. And since you're Human, the sickness would've killed you that much faster. But it's fine now, you're all good" Clio smiled at her.

"Well, I appreciate the help. Now, let's do what we came here to do. Which is find Bo—" Lauren held onto Clio as the entire train shook suddenly. "Is it just me or did this entire place shake at the mere mention of Bo's name?" She got her answer when it shook again.

Turning their heads, they saw a train attendant appear from the back. "Next stop same as the last, last stop same before next, get your tickets ready please!" He yelled.

Lauren approached him, "Hey? Can you help us? We're looking for a woman named Bo. Is she on this train?" He just stared at her, and repeated the same three sentences before running off in the other direction. "Well, he was no help at all"

Clio felt the train shake again; it happened every time Bo's name was mentioned. "This place is on its last legs" she touched one of the drapes on the windows. The material crumbled in her hands like dust. "We need to find your girl and get off this thing before it falls apart and takes us with it" she didn't want to die here.

"So let's look for her!" Lauren said. "Come on!" She dragged Clio towards the door the attendant ran through. They must've checked over six rooms before they found what looked like a carriage that seemed to be a bedroom of some kind. She looked around and saw a maid on the bed, she was completely out.

Investigating further, Lauren found clothes folded neatly on the dressing table opposite the bed. She recognised them as the same clothes Bo had on the day she saw her at Taft's. "These were hers. She was here" she rounded the bed and tried to wake the maid. "Hey? Wake up! The woman who did this to you—where is she?!"

The maid smiled like a drunk. "She's such an amazing kisser" she giggled. "And he's gonna be so angry that she's gone" she kept laughing.

Lauren was losing her mind, she was worried about her so much. "Bo!" The train shook again, and the back door to the carriage flung open. She went to the door, and found a torn piece of cloth. She knew it belonged to her.

Clio had a few words of warning for her. "If Bo jumped, then she's most likely been struck by the same sickness you had a few minutes ago. The longer she's exposed, the stomach cramps and the intense delirium will eventually kill her"

"But I feel fine" Lauren said.

"Because you have an Elemental guiding you" Clio meant herself. "This train isn't like any other plane of existence I've seen. If anyone tries to enter a dimension without a ticket or at the very least, a guide—"

Lauren found all this fascinating, but that didn't help them right now. "But if we find her, you can heal her like you did with me. Right?" Clio told her she was unsure. It depended on how long it would take for them to get to Bo. "I believe in you Clio. You can do this" she gave her the piece of cloth.

She was her only hope.

Clio held it in her hands, and then outstretched in front of them. The cloth began to burn up, disintegrating. She used her free hand to take Lauren's and held it tight. "Fasten your seat belt Blondie" she counted down from three.

At one, they both took a leap and jumped off the train.

**Abandoned House – Later**

Of all the places Bo ended up after she leapt off that train, she ended up in a house with a family that claimed to be haunted by a vengeful ghost. A ghost that attacked their family on the same day, every year. She told them that dealing with this kind of problem was her thing, but Ian; the Husband and Father, was hell bent on doing things his way. The way he'd done it for years. And made it clear he wanted Bo to leave.

But classic Bo, never was good at taking the hint.

She tried to take his daughter Julia away from the house, but she quickly realised that the ghost they were afraid of was very real. Only, it wasn't a ghost. It was some kind of body jumper.

Unfortunately, there were many different kinds. Since she arrived she'd heard a voice in her head, telling her to kill them all. And due to her hunger being so out of control, she almost gave in.

The essence inside of Julia attacked Bo, and revealed herself as a Jumbee. "Julia, I know you're in there. And I'm sorry, because this bitch isn't going down without a fight!" She was about to punch her, but gasped when she saw Lauren come up from behind Julia and place her in a headlock. "Lauren?"

Knowing she was outnumbered, the Jumbee vacated Julia's body. Julia was in a state of confusion, and found herself being restrained by a stranger. "Who the hell are you?!"

"Lauren" Bo smiled happily. "Her name's Lauren. It's okay, she won't hurt you"

Lauren let Julia go, and immediately embraced her ex. "I thought I'd lost you" she cried into her neck, as she breathed her in. Two months had felt like forever. "I missed you so much" she pulled back, looking at her. Right now, she didn't care if they weren't a couple. She kissed her without thinking about it.

And Bo didn't mind one bit. She was close to crying herself, "I missed you too. How did you find me?"

"With a little help" Lauren held her hand, and turned Bo around to introduce her friend. "Bo, meet Clio. She's the one who helped me find you. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. She saved my life, and now she's gonna save yours. When you jumped from that train, you got exposed to a sickness. One only she can cure" she waved Clio over. "Help her"

Clio was about to do exactly that, when Ian walked in and slashed his Wife'e throat. "Holy shit, what kind of party is this?"

Bo rushed to Kathy's side. "Lauren, she's bleeding!" Thank god there was a Doctor here.

Running over, Lauren kept her hands over Kathy's neck. She watched the Jumbee's essence leave Ian's body, and he was instantly overcome with guilt at what he'd done. "No time for crying. Go get towels, lots of them! Hurry!" She needed to soak up this blood.

"There's a plant I can get, it has healing properties. It grows in the woods!" Clio quickly ran off to find the special plant.

Ian returned with the towels, and Lauren pressed them down over the wounds. The bleeding was slowing, but it was still soaking through the towels. She told Ian to take over and not to stop applying pressure. Bo wanted to find Julia, who was now inhabited by the Jumbee again.

She told Lauren to stay and help Kathy, but Lauren refused. "Like hell I'm letting you out of my sight again. I'm going with you"

Bo smiled, taking her hand. She didn't realise how much she missed her until she laid eyes on her after so long. She stopped when she felt an ache in her stomach. "Oh god. You weren't kidding about the sickness thing huh?"

"Bo, I really wish you'd let Clio heal you" Lauren sighed.

"They need help more than me right now. Just, help me end this and then we can go home. Please" Bo needed to do this. She wasn't letting this evil Jumbee take this innocent family. They two of them went outside, where they found Julia walking around the garden. Bo pushed her down while Lauren helped hold her down. "Time for me and this Jumbee to get better acquainted" she took Julia's chi, which now had the essence of the Jumbee.

Once she breathed it in, she passed out in Lauren's arms. "Bo?" She tried to wake her. "No, come on! I can't lose you again!"

Clio ran up beside them, "I gave them the plant—" she frowned at what she saw. "What happened?"

"I think she let the Jumbee inhabit her" Lauren replied. "Help me get her into the house" she waited for Clio to pick Bo's other half up, as they both walked her into the house with Julia following closely behind.

Twenty minutes passed, and Lauren sat with Bo laying on her lap, the Jenkins' were huddled together as Kathy remained unconscious from her wound. Clio's special herb seems to be working well though. Kathy had stopped bleeding.

Suddenly, Bo jumped up awake. "They killed her!" She held onto Lauren's hands. "Your ancestors, they murdered her and her fiancée just because they wanted to be together" she looked at Ian.

Bo explained that they were buried separate from each other and that the only way the Jumbee would let her vendetta go, was if she was reunited with her fiancée. She and Lauren hatched a plan to dig up their graves, and have them rest together. Clio was quick to help them, especially since Bo was a little busy trying to keep Jumbee at bay within herself.

Lauren and Clio worked fast digging up Jumbee's remains, and also her fiancée Noah. They threw all of her bones in with his. But Lauren found two wedding bands that had rusted over time. "I think I know why she's been holding on so long"

"Maybe because I'm pissed off!" Bo spoke for Jumbee who had taken control once again.

Clio held Bo from behind so Lauren could try and get her back. She'd never had so much fun in all her life. "What now?"

Thinking it over, Lauren had an idea. "She can't move on because they never married. Maybe if we recreate that, she can finally find peace—" she slipped one band on her own finger, and the other on Bo's. Then wrapped a piece of old cloth around their hands. "I take you to be my lawfully wedded Wife, even in death. Do you take _Noah_, to be your lawfully wedded Husband even in death?"

Jumbee smiled through Bo. "I do"

Lauren watched Jumbee's essence purge from Bo's body, and as they both kept their hands joined they looked up at the night's sky and saw Jumbee and Noah's spirits find each other again. It was so beautiful.

But not to Clio, because she couldn't see anything.

Bo blinked, then looked down at hers and Lauren's hands. Was that a wedding ring? "Not exactly how I imagined it" She was not afraid to admit that she had thought about marriage to Lauren a few times while they were dating. "Are we—"

"Ready to get the hell outta here and go home?" Lauren finished for her with a smile.

"Hells yes" Bo exhaled in relief. Home sounded so good right now.

Lauren helped her up, and kept hold of her while they walked back to the house. With Clio following behind.

After making sure that the Jenkins' were okay, they found themselves leaving just as the sun was rising.

**Highway – Later**

They'd been walking for at least an hour. And Bo was tired, but the one saving grace was that she had Lauren with her. It was funny, because even though that little wedding wasn't binding; they still had yet to take the rings off. It was nice to live in a fantasy for a while.

Seeing how exhausted Bo was, Lauren was worried the sickness would make her even worse. "Clio, how about you fix Bo up now?"

Clio smiled, "Sure thing—" she held Bo from behind with a knife to her neck. "Or, I could just take her with me and let the transcendental sickness eat her from the inside out"

"First Taft and now her, you really suck at making friends" Bo struggled in her grip.

"Yeah, I'm starting to sense a theme too" Lauren said. "What the hell is this Clio? Why are you doing this?"

Clio chuckled, "Money talks ladies. And unfortunately for you, your old pal Vex paid a pretty penny for me to deliver the Succubus. I bet I could get more if I threw you in too" she glanced at Lauren.

Lauren began laughing. "You picked the wrong girl to screw over. And as for the sickness? If memory serves, Jumbee's are Elementals too"

Bo turned the tables and twisted Clio's wrist. Forcing her to drop the knife. "See, to thank me for reuniting her with Noah; Jumbee healed me. That's what happens when you help people. Unlike you, who's only after one thing. You greedy bastards are all the same"

"I was just doing my job!" Clio cried at the pain in her wrist. It was definitely broken.

"And now your job's gonna get you killed!" Bo grabbed her face and pulled every ounce of her chi. "Have a nice afterlife Clio!" She dropped her to the ground.

Lauren didn't care if she just witnessed Bo kill someone. Clio deserved it. "Still as badass as ever I see" she smiled at her.

Bo chuckled, "Only way I know how to be—" she fell into Lauren due to how exhausted she was. "Whoa" she tried to get her bearings.

All Lauren could do was stare at her. "I never thought I'd have this again. You know, me and you? Not after what happened. Bo, I know things didn't end well back at Taft's—"

Silencing her with a shh, Bo leaned into her. "None of that matters anymore Lauren. I just want us to go back to the way things were. Before all the drama. It won't be easy, but I think what we have is worth it. Don't you?"

"Absolutely" Lauren smiled.

That was music to Bo's ears. "Take me home?"

Nodding, Lauren wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Sure" the two of them kept walking up the road. They walked for what felt like forever, but came to a lay-by and found a busted up station wagon. In her time on the run Lauren had learned many things.

Including, how to hotwire a car.

"I gotta say, watching you be all _street wise_ is a huge turn on" Bo let out a laugh from where she stood, watching Lauren pull the wires from under the steering wheel. She'd never known her to do something like that. "I guess a person _can_ change in two months"

Lauren finished with the wires, and heard the engine roar as it started up. "I wouldn't say I've changed entirely" she got out of the driver's side and opened the passenger side door for Bo to climb in. "But I've definitely had to pick up a few things. If I hadn't, the Una Mens would've caught me for sure" she went back to the driver's side and got in.

"How long have they been hunting you?" Bo asked.

"Month and half, maybe longer. I was probably safer staying away but when I knew something happened to you, I had to come home" Lauren said, placing the car into drive. "The others didn't remember you, but I did. And I wasn't gonna stop until I had you back" she placed her foot on the gas as they began to drive away.

Bo smiled at her, of all the people she called Family; Lauren was the only one who remembered her. Not even Kenzi. That had to mean something, right? "Well congrats Doc, you found me"

"You know, when we get back we should really talk about what happened on that train" Lauren said, keeping her eyes on the road.

Frowning at her with a smile, Bo asked; "What train?" She had no idea what Lauren was talking about.

And funnily enough, neither did she. "I uh—I don't know" she laughed nervously. "I don't even know why I said that" It was weird.

Bo yawned covering her mouth. "I'm looking forward to seeing everyone though" she leaned into Lauren's side as she kept driving. "Kenzi and Hale" she rested her head on Lauren's shoulder. "Trick and—" She didn't finish her sentence because she drifted off into sleep.

Lauren took her eyes off the road for a few seconds, there was no one on it but them anyway. This moment was perfect right now. All she'd wanted since she found out Bo was missing, was exactly this moment. She looked at the rusted wedding band on her left hand, she still hadn't taken it off.

She pressed a soft kiss to Bo's forehead, and let her lean into her side even further. She needed to rest right now. She'd been through a great ordeal.

And it was Lauren's job to make sure she got home.

They kept driving for a few hours more, and they'd only just realised how far from home they actually were. By the time the sun began to set, they'd made a pit stop at a gas station. Lauren gave Bo some money so she could get a change of clothes. Nothing fancy, just a t-shirt and some jeans.

**Motel**

Knowing they wouldn't make it home before dark, they decided to stop at a motel. And honestly, Bo needed a shower desperately. So she was happy to stop for the night. Their room wasn't anything special, it had a bed, bathroom and a minibar. All of Bo's favourite things.

While she took a shower, Lauren closed the drapes and locked the door tight. She'd been out in the open for too long, she couldn't risk that the Una Mens weren't on her trail.

"You know—" Bo exited the bathroom, drying her hair with a towel. "For a Motel, the shower isn't as bad as you'd think. Feels good to wash it away" she dropped on the bed with an elated sigh.

Lauren rustled up a few drinks from the mini bar. "I can imagine. It'll feel even better to have a drink. Here, I made your favourite—_extra_ strong" she handed it to her with a chuckle.

Taking it with a laugh, Bo gave the cup a whiff. And she wasn't kidding about it being strong. "Wow, you really should stick to your day job Doc—" she sipped it, and it almost burned through her throat. "Mixology isn't your thing, unless it's chemicals" she was good at mixing those.

Just not booze.

"Noted" Lauren set her cup aside, she had a few things she wanted to say. "Bo, I need to apologise to you about what I said back at Taft's—" she stopped her from trying to squash the conversation. "I know you said you don't care, but I do. And I need to get this out. So, can you just let me?

Bo placed her cup on the floor at the door of the bed. "Sure"

"When I said I _loved_ you—I didn't mean that. That's the one thing that never changes. I can never stop loving you, and believe me I tried. Back when I was with Nadia, but nothing ever works. You're everything to me Bo, and being without you has been hell—" she couldn't finish her sentence because Bo kissed her.

To hear that she was considered someone's _everything_, made Bo's heart skip a beat. "You don't have to explain anything to me. I said it then, and I'll say it now—I know you. And you're right, I don't care. I don't care about your past. _Lauren Lewis_ is the girl I fell for" she smiled at her.

It took a few seconds for Lauren to imagine a scenario in her mind, one that was the reverse of this. If she had listened to the little voice in the back of her mind, the one that told her not to try and contact Bo while she was on the run—she wouldn't have known Bo was missing, and she never would've found her now.

Maybe then Dyson would've had his way and played the hero.

But thankfully Lauren trusted her gut, and it led her to Bo. "Two months" she mumbled quietly as she laid a hand to rest on her cheek. "Felt like an eternity. Being without you felt so wrong. Even when I left to work for Taft—I thought about calling you everyday"

"I wish you would've" Bo said. "I could've saved you from that lunatic. It would've made up for not saving my Mom" she remembered Aife dying in her arms.

"She's not dead" Lauren saw shock all over Bo's face. "Aife's alive. She was the only one besides me who remembered you. She came to Kenzi and Dyson asking for help to find you. If it wasn't for her, we never would've known where to start" if it wasn't for Aife, they wouldn't have known about the coil which led to the retrieval of the compass.

And without the compass, Kenzi, Dyson, Trick and everyone else who used to remember Bo would still be left with a black hole in their minds.

Bo was relieved to hear that her Mother was alive. "Have you seen her since then?"

"No" Lauren replied. "I was kind of preoccupied. But maybe Kenzi's heard from her. Though, I doubt she'd have time to check her messages. Not now that she has to babysit Tamsin" she explained to her that Tamsin has been reborn, into a mouthy little girl.

"I guess I missed quite a bit then huh?" Bo chuckled softly. "You know, when Jumbee was _in_ me; she showed me what Ian's ancestors did to her. It felt like I was going through it myself. They killed her _and_ her fiancée just because they loved each other"

She went on to tell Lauren that even though Jumbee was Fae, her Human fiancée didn't care. He loved her anyway. And it got him killed. "I couldn't help but think of us—you and me. You know what I am, and you know what I've done. And yet you still choose to love me, in spite of all that. Why?"

She'd always wondered that.

Lauren took a breath, and held her smile. "Because you're unlike anyone I've ever met. You're kind, smart, funny, and you have such a huge heart. My love for you is so strong, it allowed me to keep my memories of you when everyone else forgot. They say that only happens when a love is true"

"I never really believed in the concept of true love" Bo admitted. "I mean, I haven't exactly had the best track record. But when we got together, I could tell it was different than the rest. You were never _just_ my Girlfriend. You were my anchor, my sanctuary, and at times; my saviour"

"Saviour?" Lauren wondered why she used that word. "How so?"

Bo thought back to a time when Lauren had saved her. And there were many. "Whenever I would lose control, you _always_ pulled me back. Sometimes, not even Kenzi could get me to calm down. But you—" she let out a laugh. "You could always bring me back from the edge. Even when all I wanted to do was give in, and let the darkness consume me. But I knew if I did, I wouldn't be the Bo you love. I'd be a monster" she always worried about that happening to her.

And more importantly, that happening when Lauren was around. If she ended up hurting her, because of her cursed nature; she would never forgive herself.

Lauren sat closer to her, "I am _never_ going to see you that way" she said. "You will _always_, be the Bo I love" she leaned against her. "I know it's been a long day, but are we gonna talk about where you've been?" She was curious to know.

But Bo didn't have the energy. "Not now, okay?" She just didn't want to think about it. "I don't remember anything anyway. Besides, all I wanna do is sleep. Right here, next to you" She jumped back onto the bed, and tapped the empty space beside her.

If Bo didn't want to talk about it, then Lauren didn't want to push her. But they would have to figure out who abducted Bo sooner or later. What if they came back? What if they tried to take her again?

Lauren couldn't bear the thought. "Sounds good" she joined her on the bed, and Bo was quick to cuddle into her. She obviously had fears of being alone after what happened. Who could blame her?

So, Lauren wrapped both arms around her and kissed her forehead.

"I got you" she whispered.

Upon hearing it, Bo closed her eyes with a smile. This was all she wanted for the last two months. She nestled herself closer to her, and felt so safe in her arms.

She was finally home.

**Clubhouse - Next Morning**

After their night away, which did Bo a lot of good. She'd been through such a traumatic experience, so to have one quiet night with the person she loved did wonders for her. They hit the road early in the morning, and found themselves back in the city around midday.

As Bo entered the house with Lauren at her side, she was immediately embraced by Kenzi. The hug forced her to let go of Lauren's hand. "I missed you too Kenz" she honestly did. So she hugged her back just as hard.

Trick was next to give her a hug, and finally Dyson. Who even went a step further and smelled her hair. Lauren saw him do it, and she would've been angry if she didn't already have Bo. They were fine, and back together as far she was concerned. Dyson could gawk all he wanted.

Kenzi quickly embraced Lauren just as tightly. "Thank you for bringing our girl home. You're amazing Lauren" she couldn't thank her enough.

If it wasn't for Lauren none of them would've known about Bo.

"She sure is" Bo smiled, stepping back to her side. She hooked an arm around her waist, wanting to remain close. "You didn't have to do all this Kenzi" she looked around at the banners, balloons and questionable spread of treats on the table.

Was that lube she saw?

Kenzi let out a _pfft_ sound. "No length is too far for you BoBo. Besides, doing this is the least I could do for forgetting you existed!" She still hated herself for that. "I'm so sorry Bo. As your family, we really suck ass!"

"Kenz, it's okay. I didn't remember any of you either when I was—" Bo went to say something, but her mind just went blank all of a sudden. "But then I was in the woods, and things started coming back. It wasn't until I saw Lauren that everything came back completely"

"True love wins again!" Kenzi clapped her hands with a smile.

Dyson bowed his head with his arms folded as she said it. It was hard for him to watch this. Especially after he and Lauren came to blows the way they did yesterday. "I've gotta get back to the station" he began walking towards the door. "Glad you're back" he touched Bo's arm on his way out.

Bo frowned at his behaviour. "What's with him?"

"It's a long story" Lauren replied. "I'll tell you later" she had much to tell her about her other ex.

As they were talking, little Tamsin ran out from behind the couch and sprayed Kenzi with a can of silly string. "Haha! Got you sucka!"

Kenzi picked the crap off her face, looking down at her with an angry stare. "This girl is getting on my last nerve!" She threw the silly string to the floor. "I can't deal with this! Kids are monsters!" She ran upstairs to clean up.

"That's Tamsin?" Bo didn't really believe what Lauren said until just now.

Lauren nodded, and as Tamsin was about to spray them with the silly string too; she snatched it out her hands. Clearly, this girl was in need of discipline. "That's enough Tamsin. Go watch some tv. And no jumping on the couch either!"

Tamsin huffed, and ran off to the living room to do as she said.

"Wow, she totally listened to you" Bo was impressed. "How long is she gonna be like that?' She referred to Tamsin being a child. "And why should the burden of being her caretaker fall on you?"

"I like to think of it more of a group effort" Lauren threw the can of silly string away. "Though, I'm not sure Kenzi sees it that way. We think she may know something about your Father"

Bo's expression was blank, "My Father? You think he's the one who took me?"

Lauren shrugged a shoulder. "I can't say for sure. But it's a hell of a coincidence that Tamsin saw him on the road, and when she tried to run him down, he vanished in a cloud of black smoke. Just like—"

"What happened to me at the Dal when I was taken" Bo finished for her. On their way back to the city, Bo told her what she remembered from before she was taken.

She told her that she recalled being at the Dal looking for Kenzi, shards of glass flew over her and then suddenly she was enveloped by black smoke. "How long until she gets her memories back?"

That was another thing Lauren was unsure of. "Hard to say. Could be soon, or it could be a while. Valkyries are a rare species, and not much has ever been documented on them. I'd never even met one until Tamsin" she'd met a lot of Fae, just not Tamsin's kind.

"Well, I guess we're playing the waiting game then. And that's okay right now. As much as I want answers about what happened to me, I just wanna take a breather" Bo didn't feel like going on a wild goose chase right now. "Maybe even lay down for a little while"

Lauren kissed her cheek. "Then go do that. I'll be here, dealing with the annoying baby Valkyrie. I'll come check on you in a few hours"

Bo let go of her hand, and walked off to the stairs. She'd slept last night, even while feeling safe in Lauren's arms. But she still had nightmares. She figured being in her own bed would help. There was only one way to find out.

Tamsin marched over to where Lauren stood in the kitchen. "Food, now!"

Raising her eyebrows, Lauren folded her arms. "Excuse me?" She couldn't believe the attitude on this girl. She knelt down in front of her. "Let's get something straight Tamsin. As long as you're living under this roof, you will be polite and respectful to those around you. You will learn manners, and you will act appropriately. Understand?"

That told her.

Standing straight, Tamsin nodded. "Can I have something to eat, please?"

There, that was more like it. Lauren smiled, "Of course you can. Why don't you sit right here?" She lifted her up and sat her on a kitchen stool. "And I'll make you something. Okay?"

"Okay" Tamsin sat quietly.

Finally, she had some manners out of her. Lauren searched the kitchen for anything edible. Luckily, she found a fresh loaf of bread and some cold cuts in the fridge. She quickly made Tamsin a sandwich, and cut in half after she removed the crusts.

She pushed the plate over to her, but didn't let go of it. "What do you say?" She asked her.

Tamsin had to think about it for a second, but it finally came to her. "Thank you" she was allowed to take the plate and began eating.

"You're welcome" Lauren smiled at her as she stuffed most of the sandwich in her mouth. "Tamsin? Remember what I said about manners? Chew your food, and always do it with your mouth closed" she watched her listen, and was chewing her food like a respectable young lady. "Good girl"

One thing Lauren really wanted to tackle, was the mop on top of Tamsin's head. Birds could've laid eggs in there. She found a clean brush on the coffee table, and after Tamsin finished her sandwich she began untangling her hair. As Lauren was finishing, she noticed that not a single strand of hair fell from her head. It was strange. "All done"

Tamsin turned around and wrapped both arms around Lauren's neck. "Thanks Mom"

Uh, what?!

Lauren widened her eyes upon hearing what Tamsin said. How the hell was she supposed to tell her that she wasn't her Mother? She was just a kid. And she didn't understand what being reborn meant, anymore than Lauren did herself. "Uh, no problem. But umm—call me Lauren, okay?" She pulled away with a smile.

"Okay" Tamsin smiled back.

They sat on the couch together for the next hour, and Tamsin fell asleep in her lap. So Lauren moved her onto the couch, and placed a blanket over her. She was due to check on Bo anyway. As she was tucking Tamsin in, she noticed Kenzi jumping off the bottom step. "Shh!" She placed a finger on her lips. "I just got her to go to sleep" she whispered.

"Yeah I can see that" Kenzi silently applauded her. "Way-to-go Mommy" she let out a laugh.

Lauren rolled her eyes as she approached her. "About that? Tamsin kinda called me Mom earlier, and I can't have that sticking. I'm _not_ her Mom, and I don't want her thinking I am. So, be careful what you say around her. I need to check on Bo. Where're you going?" She could see Kenzi was dressed to go out.

"Hale texted, said he wanted me to meet him at the Dal. I think he wants to tell me something" Kenzi found the message vague. But she kind of had a feeling about what it could be. "I heard Bo tossing while I was up there. Tell me the truth, how's she doing?"

That wasn't something Lauren could answer. "She was kidnapped and stripped of her memories Kenzi; how do you think she's doing? Look, all we can do is be there for her while she recovers. If we know anything about Bo, it's that she tough. She can come back from this; I know she can"

"Yeah, because she has you" Kenzi smiled at her. "You're like a special medicine for her Lauren. And I don't know what happened between you and Dyson before you left; but I know it's bad enough to chase him off. Is everything okay?" She didn't get an answer from her. "Fine, I won't push. Oh, by the way; you didn't tell Bo about what you caught me and Dyson doing, did you?"

It was something she'd been worrying about.

"No. I figured you'd wanna do that yourself" Lauren said. It wasn't her place to tell Bo that her best friend almost slept with her ex-boyfriend.

"Or I could just forget it ever happened?" Kenzi pressed her lips together, contemplating it. "I mean, it's not like it meant anything anyway. Also, I think I kinda like Hale. There's just a lot of stuff going on in my head right now, you know—" she gave a lopsided smile.

Lauren rubbed her eyes; she was so tired. "Maybe so, but as Bo's friend—you owe her the truth"

"Really?" Kenzi raised an eyebrow. "Or do you just wanna see what her reaction will be? I mean, it _would_ be the ultimate test wouldn't it? If I tell her, and she gets mad—then what does it say about her feelings for him?"

This was their problem.

One minute, they were allies and on the same page. And the next, they were enemies and at odds.

"This isn't about my insecurities Kenzi" Lauren said. "This is about you being too afraid to tell her. You're worried if you do, you'll lose her. Look, I don't care either way. But you know deep down—" she began taking steps backward towards the stairs. "Telling her is the right thing to do" she left her with that advice, and walked upstairs.

Kenzi was unsure of how to proceed. If she told Bo, and she got mad to the point where she'd lose her; Kenzi would never forgive herself. But if Bo loved Lauren as much as she claimed, then telling her shouldn't make a difference.

It wasn't like Kenzi actually loved Dyson. It was their memories tricking them. Hale was the one she thought about. After her memories returned, that became clear.

She had some serious thinking to do.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Glad you guys are liking it. I'm in the middle of writing a version for ep 7 which will be chapter 7 in this and I have never had a more complex challenge in my entire life. This season was so bad. And i have tortured myself by having to rewatch it. **

* * *

**Chapter 4: Everybody's Changing**

**Bo's Bedroom **

About forty minutes into her nap, Bo awoke in a sweat. She just couldn't drift off without seeing flashes of something that felt like a memory. Only, it was blurry. She saw a figure of what appeared to be a man, but he had no face. In fact, he was just a dark silhouette.

She laid on her side, facing the wall with her hand grasping the handle of a dagger under her pillow. In a second, she felt a presence behind and her without wondering who it was; she rolled over and was prepared to strike. But she dropped the dagger when she saw who it was.

"Lauren? I'm so sorry!" She pushed the weapon away from her, "I didn't mean to, I just—" she felt terrible.

"Bo, it's okay" Lauren shushed her. "Hey? Look at me—" she held both sides of her face, leaning into her. "Breathe. Everything's fine. I'm here, just breathe with me" she inhaled with her, and then watched her exhale seconds after. "That's it. In and out. You're okay"

Bo's breathing returned to normal, "I don't know what's wrong with me" she sighed, going in for a hug. This felt right. _She_ felt safe. "I'm so happy to be back, I just feel weird. Not knowing what happened to me is eating me up inside"

"No one said this was going to be easy" Lauren pulled back, and placed a lock of hair behind her ear with a smile. "Honestly, it's gonna take time. What you've been through—it'll take more than one night to move passed. But you will" she told her. "It'll get better"

"I hope so, because I hate feeling like this—so powerless" Bo had never felt more scared in her entire life. "I want you to know I'd never willingly attack you" she apologised again about the dagger. "If I'd hurt you—actually, I don't even wanna picture that. I'm sorry Lauren"

Smiling, Lauren waved a hand. "It's fine. And it's my fault, I startled you. The main thing is, we're both okay"

"I think maybe I need to work out these frustrations" Bo said, reaching to the nightstand to find her phone but it wasn't there. Because she didn't have a phone at the moment. "Mind if I use your phone to call Dyson?"

"For what?" Lauren asked.

"I just figured he could get me into that gym he goes to. Maybe I could hit the heavy bag for an hour or two. It might help me work out the chaos in my brain—" Bo noticed the look on Lauren's face. "Unless, you don't want me to call him? Did something happen between you guys while I was gone?"

Lauren laughed it off, "It's not important" she tried to stand up from the bed.

But Bo stopped her from leaving. "It is, if it has something to do with me. Lauren, you and Dyson were acting weird the second I stepped into the house. Tell me what happened" she had a right to know.

Over the course of the next ten minutes, Lauren told Bo what happened in the hours before she found her at the Jenkins' house. She told her how Dyson was always trying to play his Fae card. And that when it finally came time to cross the dimensions, he actually revealed a horrible truth.

That when she and Bo were dating last year, he had to hold himself back from physically hurting her. All because of his territorial Wolf nature. She finished by repeating what he said about her not being useful because of her Humanity.

Bo was sickened. She _physically_ felt sick. She knew Dyson was a douche at times but this really took the cake. "I don't know what to say" she was speechless.

"I'm over it" Lauren said.

"You shouldn't have to be over something like that" Bo replied. "I can't believe he would say those things to you. He has no right" she was so angry.

This was why Lauren didn't want to bring it up. Getting Bo worked up after what she'd been through wasn't healthy. "It doesn't matter to me. You know what does?" She gave her a kiss. "This. You and me. How about we forget about Dyson?"

Smiling into the next kiss, Bo kept it going. "Forgotten" she deepened the kiss. Suddenly, she felt the pangs of hunger start to resurface. She hadn't fed properly since she'd been back. Fearing that she'd hurt Lauren, she pulled away. "Sorry" she closed her eyes, pushing the hunger down.

Like she'd done so many times before.

"It's okay" Lauren needed a second to recover from that kiss. "But you can't keep starving yourself. Why don't you go find someone to feed from?"

Sighing, Bo turned back to her. "Won't that put us in the same boat we were in a few months ago? With you sharing me with others when you shouldn't have to? I don't wanna put you through that again" it killed her enough the first time.

But this time was different. "You're not putting me through anything. Besides, your Dawning was the reason for your big appetite back then. That's not an issue anymore. So, maybe you won't need to feed as much" Lauren was theorising it but it could've been possible.

"I guess" Bo wasn't sure, but it sounded plausible. "Okay, I'll go and be back within the hour. It's not like I need to heal or anything, so it'll just be chi. Do you wanna wait here?"

Lauren didn't have a choice unfortunately. "I kinda have to. Kenzi's gone to the Dal to meet Hale, and reborn or not—someone has to stay with Tamsin. Besides, it's safer if I'm here. Bounty Hunters are everywhere" she was better off staying.

That was another thing Bo had to deal with. "I won't let any of them get you, I promise" she kissed her. "I'm back now. And as long as I'm around, the Una Mens won't harm a hair on your head"

"If you say so" Lauren just smiled. Bo hadn't met them yet, so she didn't know just how powerful they were. Or what they were capable of. "Just go, and be careful"

Bo jumped off the bed, "I will" she slipped into some jeans and boots before leaving the house.

After she left, Lauren found herself falling asleep. It had been such a long morning. And she didn't get much sleep last night. She was unsure of how long she'd been napping, but immediately shot up when she heard a scream.

She ran for the stairs.

**Downstairs**

When she got there, she saw that all the furniture was gone. And Tamsin was left in the living room, only she wasn't a little girl anymore. "Albert Einstein" she gasped at her sight. Tamsin had suffered some kind of growth spurt. And her hair had taken the brunt of it. "Oh wow"

"I'm hideous!" Tamsin shrieked.

"Hideous?" Lauren frowned. "No, you're not. You're—" she didn't have an answer. "It's just a normal part of growing up. I guess Valkyries age faster than other Fae. Did you see what happened to the furniture?" She looked around at the empty house.

Tamsin covered herself up with a blanket, the clothes she had on had shrunk. "I woke up and these two guys were taking everything. They looked at my face and ran, probably because I'm so ugly! And then, _this_ happened" she looked down at herself.

Lauren walked over to her and gave her a hug. "Okay, don't worry. Everything's gonna be fine"

"Umm" Bo entered the house along with Kenzi who was just getting back from the Dal. "What the hell happened? And where's all of our stuff?" She looked at the person Lauren was hugging. Feeling a little jealous. "Who's she?" Her Girlfriend mouthed to her that it was Tamsin. "Oh, how'd that happen?"

Shrugging, Lauren was as confused as she was. "No idea"

Kenzi looked at Tamsin. "Oh my god, the hair!" She whispered in disbelief. That was a lot of curls. "We've been robbed! What the hell are we gonna do?!" All her stuff—her precious belongings, were all gone.

"Okay, everyone calm down!" Bo said. "We're gonna find out who did this. Lauren? Go get Tamsin dressed in something less—snug" She noticed her pulling her shirt down all the tome.

Lauren began to walk Tamsin towards the stairs, "What're _you_ gonna do?" She asked Bo.

"I am going to the Police station to see Dyson, maybe he can get a lead on the robbers. And before you say anything—no, I won't mention what we talked about earlier. That'll come later. One problem at a time. Right now, I want my stuff back"

Kenzi was all for that. "I'll go with you" She wasn't letting her go alone. "I just don't get it though. I set up that ignis rim Trick gave me. No malicious Fae should've been allowed to enter. So, how did these jack-holes get in?"

"That's assuming they're Fae" Lauren said. "If they're Human, they could enter without being restricted by the rim. Tamsin said they were dressed head to toe in black, and even had masks on. It's not much to go on but—"

"We've started with less before" Bo replied. She gave Lauren a kiss goodbye and hen dragged Kenzi out the door. After feeding she was feeling a lot stronger. And as she said earlier, she didn't sleep with anyone. Just took their chi. It was a clean way of feeding.

That, and she didn't want to end up with the same problem as before. With her and Lauren on the rocks because of her stupid hunger.

"Okay, come on" Lauren pushed Tamsin towards the stairs. "Let's get you into some new clothes. And find a brush or an _iron_, for that hair" triple heart surgery was probably a walk in the park compared to tackling that hair.

**39****th**** Division - Later**

After hearing what happened, Dyson began making a list of things that were missing from the house. "So, they got the furniture, throw pillows, the TV, some tables, tiki lights, _all_ of your erotic novels, and other things. Sound about right?"

"_And_ Geraldine!" Kenzi told him to write it down. "I feel naked without her" she admitted sadly.

"Could this be the Una Mens?" Bo asked him. It was hard for her not to jump down his throat after what Lauren told her. But right now, she had to find the assholes who robbed her home. He told her that this wasn't their thing, they weren't interested in material objects. "So who could it be then?"

He tapped his pen on his pad. "Could've been just a random robbery. I mean, it's not like you live in a safe neighbourhood. And even with the ignis rim, Humans could still enter" that didn't really give them much to go on.

Kenzi suddenly got a message on her phone, she was trying to get in contact with Massimo so she could get more of his sparkle cream. "I gotta take a call, one of my idiot cousins. You know how it is" she slipped out of the room and went to the exit.

"How're you feeling?" Dyson asked Bo. He hadn't really had a chance to talk to her yet.

Bo just smiled, "Fine. Little on edge, but otherwise okay"

He reached over and placed his hand on hers. "Well, I can help with that. You must be hungry after being away so long"

Jesus.

He was a literal dog with a bone.

She looked at his hand, and just laughed as she pulled hers away. "I was, but I fed earlier. I told Lauren I would let it go for now, but you know what?" she stood from her chair. "I can't. She told me what you said to her. About how you told her you're basically better than her in every way because you're Fae and she's _just _a human. Did I miss anything?"

"Bo, I—"

"You what?" She folded her arms. "You're sorry? I'm not the one you insulted. And how dare you say those awful things to her. But the one thing I'm really having trouble with, is the part about you wanting to _rip_ _her away from me_" she quoted his words. "Is that actually true?"

There was no going back now.

"Yes" He said.

Bo stared at him. "And you don't think there's anything wrong with that?"

"Of course I do" he got up and walked to the end of the room. "But I can't help it. It's my Wolf. To me, you're _my _mate. It's my nature to be territorial. There's nothing I can do" he felt stupid saying these things too.

"Well you better figure something out" Bo told him. "Because Lauren's not going anywhere. I love her, and I won't apologise for that. You're my friend Dyson, and I do love you. But that's as far as it's gonna go for us" it was harsh, but she had to listen to her heart.

He felt his heart break, she'd made it clear. "Did you always know?" He's been wondering this whole time. "That your feelings for Lauren were greater? I mean, was even your first choice?"

It was time for the brutal truth. A few months ago, Bo would've been too scared of hurting his feelings, but after what she'd been through—she realised that there was no time to waste.

"No" she answered. "It was always her, even when I didn't want it to be" she remembered how betrayed she felt when Lauren told her the Ash sent her as distraction that night four years ago. But that betrayal was nothing compared to how heartbroken she was at the fact that the person she'd fallen in love with, turned out to be a liar.

Fours years was a long time.

And in one year of that, they'd gotten together and Bo realised that everything she thought about Lauren back then—about her being the right choice for her heart, was true. Lauren was the one, and nothing would change that.

Not a Wolf.

Not a Loki.

Not even a new tall handsome stranger.

"I see" he bowed his head, trying to recover from the pain in his heart. "Then I guess everything worked out huh?" He forced a smile.

And Bo could feel the pain behind it. It hurt her to know she caused it, but why should she feel guilty for following her heart? "I wish things could've been easier. I do. But this is my choice. And you really need to respect it" she went for the door, but stopped and turned back. "And apologise to Lauren. She saved your life at Taft's, you owe her" she left and slammed the door behind her.

He knew she was right. Whatever their differences in the past, Lauren was a good person. She made it possible for him to survive Taft's experiment. And gave him the means to avenge every Fae he hunted.

His feelings for Bo would never go away, but that was something he had to deal with. Before, he never imagined he would get his love back. But Kenzi made that a reality. He couldn't expect Bo to wait for him. He knew for a fact he wouldn't have if the situation were reversed.

And now that he'd had time, he realised that his words to Lauren were horrible. And an apology was something he should give her, but he didn't know if he could face her just yet.

He needed time.

**Clubhouse**

In the time Bo and Kenzi had been gone, Lauren had been getting somewhere with Tamsin. She was acting more polite, she paid attention when Lauren said something, and she followed orders. Though, that could've been the Valkyrie in her. As a race they were soldiers, and they liked having a purpose.

After a long time, and lot of hair product; Lauren was able to untangle Tamsin's curls again. Her hair was shiny, straight, and lustful. And not a single hair got trapped in the brush. She was forced to use one from Bo's room because the robbers took Kenzi's. "Not a single strand, it's incredible" she was amazed by it.

"Can I have cheese puffs now?" Tamsin asked it with a tone. And immediately saw Lauren's face. She needed to do that again. "I mean, may I please have some cheese puffs now?"

"You may, they're on the counter" Lauren smiled, she'd pulled off a miracle with this. Tamsin was a nightmare before. Now, she was still a nightmare; but a polite nightmare with manners.

Tamsin beamed happily. "Thank you!" She ran off to get the bag of delicious corn snacks.

Lauren was just cleaning up in the kitchen. When the robbers came and went they left a mess. She was just sweeping up when she heard the door open. "You've been gone a while. Everything go okay at the station?"

Bo frowned, "How'd you know it was me?" She hadn't uttered a peep as she entered. And Lauren had her back turned. Why didn't she think she was another intruder?

Spinning around, Lauren just shrugged. "Just a feeling. Are you guys okay?" She noticed Kenzi was a little shaken.

"Define okay" Bo was still a little pissed.

After leaving the station, she noticed some guys throwing a hood over Kenzi's head as they tried to abduct her. She saved her in time, but Kenzi told her why they were after her and also, that she knew who robbed their house.

"You need to tell us everything Kenzi. Who robbed us? You said you owe someone money, right?" She got that much out of her before they got home. "How much, and to who?"

Kenzi pulled them away from Tamsin, she didn't want her hearing this. "A little over five grand" she saw them widen their eyes. "And it's Massimo"

Bo knew that name. "_Druid_, Massimo?"

"You know him?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah, I do" Bo told her. "And he sucks" she told them how Massimo was the one who helped Tamsin try to kill her. But whatever potion he gave her didn't work. "How the hell have you been paying him off?"

That was something Kenzi was disgusted to admit. "I've kinda been stealing from Trick" Bo got angry. "Only little things that he wouldn't miss. Turns out all the nick nacks in his lair are valuable. I'm totally gonna pay him back, honest"

Lauren told Bo she'd be right back, and ran upstairs to get her duffle. When she came back she dropped it on the floor and dug around inside it. "Five grand, right?" She counted the bills in her hand. "Here" she gave the cash to her Girlfriend. "Go get your stuff back"

"What?" Bo looked at the cash in her hands. She'd never held this much money before. "Lauren, no. This isn't your job. You're not our cash cow. Bailing us out isn't your problem. We can't take this" she placed the money back in her hands.

"How else are you gonna get your stuff back?" Lauren asked. Cash was easier sometimes. If you had it. Luckily, she did.

Bo loved her for offering, but this wasn't how she did things. "My way" she told her to keep the money, and she'd find out a way to get the stuff back herself. "Come on, we're gonna pay the Druid a visit" she told Kenzi. "Are you okay to stay here?" She turned back to Lauren.

She just smiled. "Not like I have anywhere else to be. Just—"

"Be careful" Bo kissed her. "I know" she took Kenzi's arm and dragged her out the house.

Tamsin skipped over to Lauren. "Cheesy?" She offered the bag to her with a smile.

"No thanks" Lauren appreciated her thinking of someone else. It showed the discipline was paying off. "Come on. I saw a game of monopoly in Bo's closet. Let's play"

"Awesome!" Tamsin followed her upstairs, full of excitement.

**Massimo's Lair – Later**

As they entered his dwelling, Bo and Kenzi saw all of their furniture plus their belongings. And not only that, but he was burning things a little at a time. He congratulated Bo on her homecoming while he mixed something in his bubbling crock pot.

"What'd you care anyway?" Bo asked. "You were the one who gave Tamsin that potion to kill me. Which by the way, ended up being a dud" she was proud to say that.

Massimo tasted his mixture, "Did it?" He turned to her. "No one said it was meant to kill you. The potion was meant to mark you—allow you move through the dimensions. Someone paid a high price to make that happen"

"Who?" Bo approached him, wanting to know more. "Who paid you?!"

He smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?" He wasn't telling her anything. "But that's not what you came to talk about, is it? No. You're here, because Kenzi racked up a bill she can't pay. Taking your stuff was a mercy, half of it's junk anyway"

"Geraldine!" Kenzi picked up her precious katana. "I'm gonna get you the money, okay. I just need a little more time"

He shook his head. "Sorry, but you're out of that. But you know what? I'm gonna give you a chance to clear your debt in a few hours. I need a rare herb, native to Japan. Your blonde medical kit might know where to find it. How's she been? I hear a lot of people are looking for her"

Bo's eyes flashed blue. "She's not your concern"

"Ooh, big bad Succubus defending her lady's honour" he chuckled at the sight. "Must be love, huh? Just get me the herb, and Kenzi's debt will be forgotten"

"What about our stuff?" Kenzi asked.

He looked around, there wasn't much left. "_Once_ I get the herb, you'll get back what I haven't burned. Trust me, I did you a favour. Those throw pillows?" He made a face. "Yikes" they were awful.

"I'll get the herb" Bo said. "But if you ever mess with Kenzi again?" She leaned forward, stopping just before his face. "I'll kill you" she smiled.

Turning around, she left with Kenzi.

**Lauren's Old Apartment – Later**

After picking up Lauren, Kenzi and Bo took her over to her old apartment. It was risky to be in the open, but Lauren told them that unless she went with them they wouldn't know what plant it was or where to find it. Tamsin was fine taking a nap in Kenzi's room. No one was going to break in again.

They were sure about that.

Luckily, the Light Fae hadn't changed the locks in the months she'd been away. Lauren's key got them in, and as she stood there; she felt very weird.

Bo turned to her, watching her look around. "You okay?"

Nodding, Lauren smiled. "Yeah, just a little strange being here after everything. You know?"

"I do" Bo held her hand. "Come on, let's find this plant" she brought her further inside. They both stood before the living green wall, she always wondered why Lauren had this here. "How the hell can you tell these weeds apart?"

Lauren chuckled at her face; she was so confused. "Don't feel too badly. It took me years. I think I kept a book of all the plants and what they looked like, it should be around here somewhere" she let go of her hand and went in search of the book.

Bo went to the living room, and saw Kenzi sitting on the couch with her feet up. "Plan on helping at all Kenz?" She kicked her leg off the coffee table. "Because this is _your _mess we're trying to clean up here"

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Kenzi knew she was still mad about the stealing. "I told you, I'm gonna come clean with Trick. As soon as his Troll dies of natural causes" she didn't want him setting it loose on her.

"Jesus Kenzi, when're you gonna take responsibility for your actions?" Bo was sick of this. "You could've told me what was happening once I got back, but you lied to me. We're sisters Kenz, we don't have secrets"

Glancing at Lauren, Kenzi had the same thought after hearing Bo's words. It was time to spill. "I kissed Dyson!" She blurted out.

Bo stared at her, blankly.

Kenzi felt good for getting it out, but also bad for doing it in the first place. "It was while we were suffering from the memory glitch. I had no idea who you were, and it just kinda happened—"

"I don't care" Bo said.

They kind of caught Kenzi off guard. "You don't?"

Bo shook her head, "Why would I? What we had was a long time ago, and I'm happy with Lauren. It doesn't bother me, and I'm not mad. A little surprised though. I figured if you'd get with anyone it would be Hale" she always sensed a vibe from them.

To hear that Bo didn't feel anything knowing Kenzi kissed Dyson, made Lauren smile. It meant she wasn't paranoid. Bo really did love her.

"That's the thing, I think I _only_ want to kiss Hale. I might like—love him, I don't know" Kenzi sighed. She was confused. Hale was her best friend. And now she felt something more for him. "How do you know when you're sure?"

What if it ended badly?

Bo turned her head, looking at Lauren who was climbing on a step ladder to reach the herb on the wall. She'd never been more sure of loving her. "When you know, you know. Trust me" she looked at Kenzi with a smile.

"Got it!" Lauren yelled from where she stood. Of course, the herb they needed was all the way up the top of the wall. She climbed down the ladder, and waved it in her hand. "Let's go!" She waved them towards the door.

As the three of them tried to leave, the threshold of the door lit up with blue flames. "What the frack?" Kenzi almost got singed.

"Did you rim the door?" Bo asked her friend, she told her no. "It must've been Massimo. He knew we'd be here. But why? He said he needed the herb"

"Unless it was a diversion?" Lauren said. "Get us to come here, and trap us in while we looked for what he wanted. He probably doesn't even need it" she threw the herb onto the couch.

To figure out why he did this, Bo asked what Kenzi saw in Massimo's lair that was theirs. She listed a few things, and also her hairbrush. She knew that Lauren used that hairbrush on Tamsin, and also knew that Massimo was obsessed with her. And that the robbers must've told him they'd seen a blonde girl in the house.

"Tamsin is who he's been after all this time?" Lauren was a little worried about her. In the short time she'd been watching her, she'd developed a little attachment to her. What if he hurt her?

"Valkyrie hair is mad valuable" Bo said. "We need to get to her, how do we disable the rim?" Then it came to her. "Wait! Humans can pass through without restriction. You're up babe" she tapped Lauren's arm.

She was the only one who could leave. Kenzi's sparkle cream made the rim think she was Fae so she couldn't pass the rim.

"Uh, I don't think I can" Lauren stuttered.

Bo led her to the door, "Lauren, it's fine. It won't burn you. You'll be okay, don't be scared"

"That's not what I'm worried about actually" Lauren stepped towards the door, and reached her hand out. The rim lit up, and blocked her exit. "That's what I thought"

"It only blocks out Fae" Kenzi said. "Why isn't it letting you leave?"

Lauren looked at them with a bashful smile. "Probably because I'm not Human anymore. Well, not entirely anyway" She revealed her herself. Showing them her yellow eyes. "I wanted to tell you"

"I uh—" Bo was lost for words. "What the—what did you do?"

Explaining, Lauren told them all about her last day at Taft's observatory. After Dyson's surgery, she swiped a few samples from the lab and ran. About three weeks on the run, she noticed she was being followed. And on a few occasions, she was attacked. She was lucky to escape with her life, and knew that it was only the beginning.

They'd keep coming.

And there was nothing she could do to fight them because she was Human. She had to be more. She remade herself in the same way she made Taft. She didn't even check the label on the sample, and injected herself with the bone marrow. She went to sleep, and when she woke up she had heightened senses unlike anything she'd ever experienced.

Speed.

Strength.

Agility.

Healing.

Everything she'd ever wanted.

She thought she'd stuck herself with a syringe full of Dyson's DNA, and when she thought that she immediately kicked herself. But it turned out that wasn't the sample she used.

"So, what are you?" Kenzi asked. Why was everyone Fae but her?

"Half Human" Lauren said. "Half Wendigo. At first I thought—oh god, I'm gonna transform into a monster. But then two months passed, and nothing happened. I think my Human side stops me from turning. I still have all the abilities, just minus the hairy parts" it was really neat.

Wendigos weren't the most attractive creatures. So the fact that she never had to turn, was music to her ears.

Bo then realised something. "That's how you could sense me earlier. You smelled my scent?" She got a nod from her.

"Are you mad?" Lauren asked, stepping towards her.

"Mad?" Bo laughed. "Why would I be mad? This is what we've always wanted right? Forever. And now we can have it. Assuming you age as slowly as I do?" She wasn't sure.

Lauren confirmed it with a nod. "I broke into a free clinic and used their lab about a week after I injected myself. Did some tests, and found that my cells have slowed right down. Meaning, I age at the same rate you do"

The one thing that held them back.

Gone.

With a simple injection.

Kenzi watched them embrace. "Uh, hello?!" She pointed to the door. "This doesn't solve our problem. I know how to disable the rim, but we can't get out of here to get the stuff we need" Trick showed her how.

"How do we make you stop sparking?" Bo asked. If Kenzi was back to her Human self, she could cross the rim without getting burned.

"I don't know" Kenzi shrugged. "It just kind of runs out. I guess I could wash it off with a shower, I just really don't feel like getting my hair wet. But you know it has been a while, I should wash it" she sat on a chair.

Bo looked at Lauren, pointing to an ice bucket by the sink. She silently told her to fill it up with water. She had an idea. Kenzi continued to ramble on, asking Lauren what her conditioner was like. With the bucket full, Bo poured it over her friend.

Kenzi spat out some water after getting over the shock. "That's one way to do it" she got up from the chair. "Okay, I'll be back as soon as I can" she crossed the threshold of the door without getting burned.

Leaving Lauren and Bo by themselves.

"You know, I think I might have something that'll disable the rim. Take a look around for a small jar of rock salt. It's potent, it might be able to spoil the balance of the rim mixture and render it powerless" Lauren went off in search of it.

Bo smiled, her Girlfriend always had a theory. She loved how her big brain worked. While Lauren looked around in the kitchen, Bo went to her desk. She sat on the chair as she searched the drawers, but stopped when she found a gift box in the middle one. The little red card had her name on it.

"What's this?"

Lauren turned around, and saw what she was holding. Damn, she forgot all about that. "Umm, I meant to give that to you after your Dawning. But then everything happened, and we broke up" she walked over to the desk. "Open it"

Getting gifts wasn't something Bo was used to. And she hated that she didn't get anything for her. She pulled the ribbon, and picked up the card to read the contents. "For giving me the freedom to love, and I do" she opened the box, and saw the most beautiful necklace. "I can't believe you did this"

"It was nothing" Lauren smiled, thinking nothing of it.

But Bo didn't have the same thought. "No, it's everything" she got up and stood next to her. "You know, I wasn't sure what real love felt like until I met you. What I had with Kyle was teenage infatuation. But with you, it's real. I love this" she held the necklace in her hands. "And I love you"

Lauren welcomed a kiss from her, "And the whole Wendigo thing? Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"I don't care what you are Lauren" Bo rand a hand down her face lovingly. "I love you, for who are as a person. Nothing else matters to me" she honestly didn't care. As long as Lauren remained the kind, selfless person she was then Bo would love her regardless.

Being newly turned, Lauren's emotions were all over the place right now. Which was why she convinced Bo to feed off someone else earlier. She wanted to be with her completely, but wasn't sure if she could control this primal instinct. What if she ended up hurting her?

After Bo's declaration, she almost cried. Her emotions were extremely heightened. Instead, she took the necklace from Bo's hands, "May I?" She offered to put it on and waited for Bo to turned around. She placed it over her chest, and secured the clasp around her neck. "Perfect"

Looking down, Bo touched the pendant. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here" she turned to her.

"You don't have to worry about that, ever again" Lauren have her a hug. "I'm not going anywhere" she spoke in her ear.

Suddenly, the lights in the apartment went out. They broke apart but remained close to each other. In a few seconds, the light returned. "What the hell was that?" Her heart raced. "Could this be the Wanderer?"

Lauren held her hand, she could smell Bo's fear. One of her new skills as a Wendigo. "I don't think so" she felt something behind her, so she turned her head. Nothing was there. "Wait here" she went to inspect it.

Bo stood there, and found herself in darkness again. "Lauren?" She felt like a wuss, but who could blame her? She was still suffering from Wanderer PTSD. Just as the lights returned again, Bo felt a sharp pain in her hand. "Ow!" She saw a gaping wound on her wrist.

"Jesus!" Lauren ran over, the smell of blood was intense. But she could push it back. "Is that a bite mark?" She frowned at it.

Just then, Bo noticed a statue sitting on Lauren's kitchen counter. "I think it is. And it came from that!" She pointed with her good hand.

They both looked at it, it was a Gargoyle. It smiled as it had Bo's blood dripping from its mouth. Then with a flash of light it disappeared.

"I'm here!" Kenzi called out, and scrambled the rim with her special device. "One rimless door, as requested. What happened?" She saw Bo's bleeding arm as Lauren was tending to it. "Were you guys attacked?"

Lauren grabbed some gauze from her desk, she always kept extra in there. "Yeah, by a Gargoyle!" She wrapped the gauze with a bandage.

"Massimo has Gargoyles doing his dirty work now?" Kenzi wondered. What more could he throw at them?

"No" Lauren said. "Gargoyles serve a higher calling. They follow the orders of their masters. Council members and High Elders. He didn't send it, someone else did" she knew from experience.

Bo guessed who it was. "Someone like, the Una Mens?" Her Girlfriend gave a nod. "Okay, first thing's first—we check on Tamsin, then we get our stuff back from that asshole. Let's go!" She took Lauren's hand as Kenzi followed them out of the apartment.

**Massimo's Lair – Later**

Today had been a whirlwind.

Bo was meant to be taking it easy now that she was back but problems kept arising. They managed to get Tamsin back from Massimo, but she had suffered another growth spurt in the meantime and was back to her adult self, minus the brain development. She still acted very child like, and was still very attached to Lauren, much to Bo's annoyance.

Massimo wanted to take her hair, and make it into some kind of revitalising Druid mixture to please his Mother—whoever she was.

But Bo stopped him, thankfully. She got Tamsin out and Lauren took her home after they saw her sprout wings. Lauren said that a Valkyrie only shows her wings on her last life. Which meant that Tamsin was no longer able to be reborn after death.

Bo didn't want Massimo to get what he wanted, so she tossed the hair he'd taken from Tamsin into his pit of lava. When she tried to make good on her promise of killing him for going after her roommates, she tasted in his chi that he was Human. That's how he was able to get into their house, without getting restricted by the rim.

Why would the Dark Fae have a Human Druid?

The Light had Lauren because she was brilliant, but Massimo was nothing compared to her. And the Dark hated Humans. They treated them like pets. It confused her.

Massimo reverted to a child like state after being confronted by Bo. "Why are you doing this for Kenzi? You're Fae, she's just a Human—"

"No!" Bo yelled. "Kenzi, is family. Go after her again, I dare you" she wasn't playing around anymore. Her family was the only thing that mattered to her in this messed up world.

And no one was taking them from her.

She turned to leave, when Massimo suddenly jumped into the lava pit to retrieve Tamsin's hair. She felt a little bad for making him kill himself. But she also smiled, because why should she care? All he did was try and hurt them?

Sparing the bad guy wasn't always necessary.

**Clubhouse – Kenzi's Room**

In all the years she'd been in and out of this house, Lauren had never once seen where Kenzi slept. She honestly thought she slept on the couch, or in the bathtub. But she had a bedroom, full of her precious wigs, and covered in twinkly lights. And she had two beds, so Tamsin could sleep too.

Lauren was just in the middle of telling Tamsin a story, she asked for one so she could sleep. It was a little funny. Telling an adult a bedtime story. But Tamsin's brain was still developing. She was just coming to end of the story when Tamsin began to fall asleep. "And they all lived, happily ever after" she pulled the covers over her.

"You're really good at that" Kenzi whispered as she climbed the stairs. "I can totally see you being a kick ass Mom one day"

Laughing quietly, Lauren took a seat on Kenzi's bed. "That's the last thing on my mind right now. How're you feeling about going cold turkey?" She knew that Kenzi didn't have her sparkle magic anymore.

And with Massimo's debt clear, she wasn't intending to order more. It just wasn't worth it.

"Not so good" Kenzi sighed. "But I'm glad I'm not on the hook with Massimo anymore. I just, wanted to be more than what I was. What about your new Faeness?" She turned to her. "Is there any way you can replicate that on me?"

Lauren knew this question was coming. "Honestly, I didn't even know it would work on _me. _But at the time, I was desperate. I was being hunted, and thought this was the only option I had to survive. It could've killed me"

"But, it didn't. So, could you do it again? Only this time, I'll be the one who gets shot up" Kenzi was willing to try anything. "How big of a needle are we talking here?" That was important.

"Pretty big" Lauren demonstrates with her fingers. She watched Kenzi shiver at the thought. "But a patient is always put to sleep before it's performed. I however, didn't have that luxury"

Kenzi realised what she meant. "You mean you went through it without drugs? How painful was it?"

Lauren still felt the twinge in her hip from where she injected herself. "Too painful to describe. Regardless of all that, are you sure that's what you really want? We'd have to get the bone marrow from a Fae creature for it to work. I don't have any laying around unfortunately" she only swiped that one sample.

"What about Bo?" Kenzi wondered. If she could be injected with Bo's DNA, then that would make them sisters. For real.

"One day at a time Kenzi" Lauren didn't know if putting Bo through a horrible procedure was what she needed right now. "We can talk about it in the morning. But ultimately—without a lab, I'm useless"

No lab, meant no equipment, no equipment meant to research, and no research meant a very unemployed Dr. Lewis.

"That, you ain't Doc" Kenzi nudged her arm with a smile. Lauren was always a helper, even when she had no reason to be.

Putting her Wendigo senses to use, Lauren heard Bo return home from downstairs. "Bo's home. I'm gonna go see if she's okay. Are you good here?"

"Yeah, I think I might take a nap myself. It's been a long day" Kenzi laid on her bed, taking a page out of Tamsin's book.

Lauren left her in peace as she made her way down the stairs.

**Bo's Bedroom**

Bo was in the middle of getting changed, black was always best when trying to strike fear into someone. So she opted for an all black outfit. She was just zipping up the fly on her leather pants when she saw Lauren come in. "How's Tamsin?"

"Out like a light" Lauren smiled, "Thank god. Are you going somewhere?" She noticed her Girlfriend was wearing her _'I mean business'_ boots.

Nodding, Bo grabbed a black blazer from her closet. "I'm gonna pay the Una Mens a visit, and tell them what they can and cannot do while they're in _my _town" she pulled her hair out of the back of her jacket.

"I'm going with you" Lauren said.

"No" Bo shook her head, turning to her. "You're at the top of their hit list. I don't want you anywhere near them. Just stay here, it's not like they can do anything to me anyway. I'm Unaligned. I'd feel much better knowing you're here, where it's safe" she didn't want to worry about her.

But safe was a loose term right now. Especially in Lauren's case. She was a wanted woman everywhere. "Okay, then I guess I'll stay. Just be careful, they're not like any other Elder you've faced. For one thing, they don't have feelings. So if you're hoping to put the fear of God in them, you're wasting your time"

"Then I guess the fear of _Bo_ will have to do" Bo gave her a kiss on the lips. "Don't wait up for me babe" she winked at her before jetting off out the door.

She was starting to feel like her old self again.

**The Una Mens' Chamber – Later**

The level of creepiness in this place was off the charts.

It was dark, damp, and smelled like shit.

Bo made her way through to where the Una Mens all stood in a group. "Seriously guys, a dehumidifier would change your life" it was way too moist in here. She noticed the Gargoyle on her way in, it still had her blood over its mouth.

"We did not summon you" The Keeper said.

Addressing her, Bo stepped forward. "Yeah, that's the thing. I'm not much for being summoned. I go where I want, when I want. And if someone comes after me, I deal with them. I will never follow your rules, so if you want to kill me for that—" she stepped closer to her. "Go ahead and try"

"We are not interested in your proposition. We intended to eliminate the Unaligned Succubus" The Keeper heard her say that was who she was. "Not according to our Gargoyle. It read your blood, and knows what side you've chosen"

Bo froze. What? A side? She didn't choose sides, that's why she was Unaligned. "What side?"

The Keeper stared at her. "You are Dark"

And just like that, Bo's world came tumbling down once more.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This is long one. Mostly because as I said before, I am putting every episode into all signular chapters. I am currently working on chapter 7 which would have been episode 7: the worst episode in my opinion even thoough it was all bad. We'll see how it turns out. Remember to let me know what you thought.**

**Enjoy. **

* * *

**Chapter 5: Darkness On The Edge of Town**

**The Una Mens' Chamber**

"Bullshit!" Bo was in disbelief at what she said. "I would never choose a side, and even if I did it sure as hell wouldn't be the Dark! I think I'd remember betraying everything I've ever stood for" she would never do this.

The Keeper wasn't interested in this anymore. "A problem for you, Succubus. And for the one who led the Dark before our arrival"

"Vex?" Bo remembered Kenzi telling her about that. She was told that they were satisfied with this outcome and that she was free to leave. "Really? What you seem to forget, is this is _my_ town. If anyone's leaving, it's you and your group of assbags!" She turned around.

"And please tell your Human pet and the Doctor that we will be seeing them very soon" The Keeper called after her.

Oh, big mistake.

Bo looked at her angrily. "Excuse me?"

"They are enemies of the Fae, specifically the Human Doctor. Her death will be excruciatingly painful" she said.

"And there it is!" Bo began to pull their chi like she'd done many times before. But for some reason, it didn't work. And they ended up turning her power back on her. She coughed, trying to recover from the attack. "What the hell was that?"

The Keeper stepped forward. "Attack us and you will only be hurting yourself. We need nothing more from you. Leave here at once"

Bo didn't need to be told twice, so she picked herself up and left the chamber. She had a lot of stuff to figure out.

**Clubhouse **

It was well into the early hours of the morning, and Lauren had been waiting up for Bo even though she told her not to. It was a habit at the moment. She'd spent the better part of two months sleeping with one eye open. Now the concept of sleep was foreign to her.

She'd been laying on the bed for a good hour, but she was getting nowhere. Then she heard the door open from downstairs, it was Bo. Lauren could smell her scent. That was a nifty skill to have, she had to be honest. She made her way downstairs, and found Bo sitting at the kitchen island nursing a glass of vodka.

"I take it putting the wrath of _Bo_ in them didn't go so well?" She could tell something was wrong. Her Girlfriend looked devastated. "Hey?" She stood beside her. "What happened?"

Smiling painfully, Bo looked at her as she swirled the vodka around in her glass. "Turns out the Gargoyle didn't bite me because it liked me. It was so the Una Mens could read my blood, so they could determine what side I belonged to"

"But you don't have a side" Lauren said. That's what being Unaligned meant.

That was the kicker. "I do now" Bo knocked back her vodka. "I'm Dark. Hell of a way to end the day, huh?"

"You're Dark?" Lauren frowned in confusion. "I don't know what to say" this was a shock.

Bo poured another glass, "You don't have to say anything. Because this has Vex and the Wanderer written all over it. When I find that asshole, I'm gonna make him reverse it"

"I've never heard of anyone being granted an annulment. What if it's not possible?" Lauren had been in the Fae world for a while, and she'd never known anyone to take back a claim to a side.

"It has to be!" Bo brought the glass down and smashed it on the table. The liquid spilled everywhere. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant to yell. This was just the last thing I needed right now" she sighed.

Lauren got a dish towel and began wiping up the vodka. "Don't worry about it" she noticed the coppery odour of blood. "Bo, your hand" she saw the drops of blood drop down onto the counter. "Here, let me" she placed a clean towel over the cut on her hand.

Bo didn't even feel the glass puncture her skin. She was too angry at what happened. She saw Lauren close her eyes and breathe deeply as she continued to apply pressure to her hand. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine—" Lauren smiled, opening her eyes. "Wendigos love blood apparently, and sometimes it's hard to be around" she almost passed out at the amount Kathy Jenkins had after her neck wound.

"Oh" Bo didn't know that. Before this, she'd never even heard of a Wendigo. "Do you need to feed?"

Lauren shook her head, "No, because of my Human half the hunger isn't a problem. I guess I could if I tried, but I just don't see the point" she pulled the towel away and saw that the cut had stopped bleeding. "You should heal"

"I'm not really in the mood to go trolling for a feed right now" Bo smiled half heartedly.

"I was actually offering myself" Lauren said. "I didn't before because I was still trying to figure out how to tell you about the _new_ me. And also, I wasn't sure if I could control myself"

Bo frowned. "What do you mean?"

It was a little weird saying it out loud. "Well uh, Wendigos are primal. They love to dominate, and I'm a little worried with all of my emotions as heightened as they are that I'd end up hurting you" Lauren was constantly worried about that.

What if she got too caught up in the moment?

Honestly, it made Bo smile. "Dominant huh?" She hummed, standing from the stool. "As a Succubus, I know a thing or two about that too. Maybe we can compare notes"

"I see what you're doing" Lauren chuckled as she became flustered, her hormones were on high alert. "And it's dangerous"

"Is it?" Bo raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Or will it be fun? Why don't we let our bodies do the talking for once?" She leaned in, and began kissing Lauren's neck.

Lauren closed her eyes as she felt the tingling sensation run down her spine. She had to trust herself that she could control this. It wasn't like they could never have sex again. Bo needed it to survive, and by the way she was feeling, Lauren did too.

"I—" she stepped away, feeling the fire in her rise. "I'm sorry" she breathed.

Stepping closer to her again, Bo took her hand and held it tight in her own. "Don't be sorry" she didn't want her to feel pressured. "I know this's scary. Having heightened emotions can be a bitch, trust me I know. I went through the same thing when we first met"

"What do you mean?" Lauren had never heard this.

Bo had never told her this before, she never found a reason to. It was relevant to Lauren's situation though. "That night—the first time you kissed me—I almost lost all control in that moment. I had never felt such raw emotion. And with my lack of control of my powers, I was terrified of hurting you"

"But you didn't" Lauren said.

"No, I didn't. Because you told me you trusted me, and that made me let go of every fear I had about being with you. No one has ever put as much trust and faith in me, as you have. And the fact that you trusted me enough that night—knowing what happened with every other Human I'd been with—removed every doubt I had about not being ready" That night was a big deal for Bo.

In so many ways.

Dyson was the first person she ever woke up next to that didn't end up dead. That would always be true. But, Lauren was the first Human. And that meant so much more.

She'd been with Humans in the past but none of them survived the night. Lauren was the first one to survive. The first one Bo didn't use her powers on. She always thought being intimate with someone meant using her powers, but Lauren taught her differently. It wasn't about anything else, other than being with the right person in that moment.

"It's just you and me" Bo wrapped both arms around her waist, holding her close. "I trust you Lauren" she spoke quietly. "Now all you gotta do is trust yourself"

With one deep breath, Lauren closed the distance between them and kissed her. She focused on just the two of them, in this singular moment. As their kissing intensified, she felt the animal within her stir. Her eyes changed, and she felt it. She ended the kiss, and tried to pull away but Bo wouldn't let her.

"Open your eyes" Bo watched her squeeze them shut. If this was who Lauren was now, she couldn't be ashamed of it. That would only drive her crazy. "Open them, please"

Lauren lifted her head, and did as Bo asked. Her yellow eyes stared back at Bo, and she smiled at her.

The kind of yellow they were, was different than Bo had ever seen. She wasn't really sure what Wendigos were, but she knew they were some kind of animal similar to a Wolf. Only, Lauren's eyes weren't black around the irises like Dyson's.

"Don't fight it" she told her. "Let it in" her own eyes turned blue. She wanted to show her it was okay to give in. Nothing bad was going to happen. Lauren needed to give herself more credit.

Letting the animal in, was a big deal. Lauren didn't know if she could control it. It had been an uphill battle since the day she first injected herself. She felt her heart race, but then it slowed. It wasn't taking over. She was actually controlling it.

She looked at Bo with a laugh, it actually worked. She wiggled out of Bo's grasp and took her hand, leading her towards the stairs. The bedroom was there for a reason, she didn't want Tamsin or Kenzi to walk in on them.

**Bo's Bedroom **

Once upstairs, Bo closed the two doors to her room and covered them with drapes that hung over the doorway. She didn't remember those being there. Maybe Kenzi added them while she was gone. She shook off her jacket, and kicked off her boots, not caring where they landed.

Usually, she didn't get nervous or scared when initiating sex but she'd been away for a while now. But then again, maybe this was what she needed to feel like herself again. Not just sex, but to have it with someone she loved. It felt better when it was like that.

When she got back from her _trip_—as Kenzi liked to call it—Lauren told Bo what her best friend did with the drapes she hung over her bed. Bo always loved those curtains, they weren't really good at concealing things given their transparency but they really put a romantic touch on moments like this.

Thankfully, the curtains over her door would work just fine.

Bo loved her fetish for leather, but it wasn't a good thing at times like this. She had to sit on the bed while Lauren pulled them off her legs with a chuckle. "I swear this was so much more romantic in my head"

"It's plenty romantic" Lauren was already in comfortable clothing so all she had to do was lift her shirt over her head.

And when she did, Bo noticed a scarred slash mark under her right rib. "What's that?" She couldn't think of anything else.

Looking down, Lauren saw what she was pointing at. Shit, she forgot it was there. And she was sad to say it wasn't the only mark on her body. "It's nothing. You know what? Maybe we should just get some sleep" she turned around to find her shirt.

Which was when Bo saw two other marks on the back of her left shoulder that matched two faded marks on the front. They looked like bullet holes. "Jesus Lauren, what the hell happened to you?" She got up from the bed and touched the two scars on her back.

Double shit.

Lauren turned around to look at Bo's worried face. She wasn't going to let this go until she knew where they came from. "About a week after I ran from Taft's, I was attacked. This guy—a bounty hunter—he shot me with two arrows. I managed to get away. He was a big guy, but kinda slow" that was her advantage.

"And this?" Bo traced her fingers over the scar under her Girlfriend's rib.

"Another bounty hunter—a biker chick. She cornered me and stuck me with a knife. I jabbed a needle full of ketamine in her neck and ran" Lauren knew for a fact the dosage would've killed her. So she left the woman to die.

She was being hunted, what was she supposed to do?

Knowing that someone had hurt her, made Bo so angry. More at herself that she wasn't there to protect her. "Two arrows through the shoulder and a knife wound under the chest. You're lucky to be alive Lauren" those were dangerous zones.

"Lucky" Lauren chuckled at her words. "Funny, that's not how I felt all that time. If anything I felt doomed" she glanced at the two circular scars on her shoulder. "You'd think the knife wound would've been the worst to recover from, but it was actually the arrows that almost killed me"

Bo wanted to here this. "How?"

Touching them now, still gave Lauren a twinge of pain. "After I got the arrows out, I cleaned them up as best I could but one of them got infected. I had to treat it with natural medicine, since I couldn't exactly go to a hospital"

"Natural medicine?" Bo didn't understand.

Lauren nodded, "There were pine trees behind the motel I was staying at. I used tree sap to coat the infected area. It works the same way as antibiotics, but it takes a lot longer. The fever made me hallucinate like crazy" she laughed at the memory.

"What, like rainbows and unicorns—those kinds of hallucinations?" Bo smiled, thinking it was funny. Everyone saw crazy stuff when they hallucinated.

Those would've been fun, but unfortunately Lauren couldn't say she saw any of that. "I wish. No, actually. I umm—I saw you" she began painting Bo a picture of that horrible stormy night.

**Seven Weeks Ago**

_Of all the nights she had to suffer from a lethal infection, it had to be the night a storm broke out. This motel was dingy as hell, the window in the bathroom shook all the time and there was a leak coming from the ceiling above the exit. _

_Lauren had been in and out of consciousness for a few hours now, thanks to her lovely infected shoulder. Stupid bounty hunter with his stupid arrows! She made sure to fill a small glass with tree sap she found courtesy of the tall pine trees at the back of the motel. _

_Normally she was an advocate for pharmaceuticals but these were tougher times. _

_She couldn't go to a hospital without the Police being notified. And if they were on her tail it wouldn't be long before the Fae caught wind of her location. _

_No. _

_She was going green on this one. _

_As she woke up again, for the fourth time; she pulled back the cheap gauze she bought from a drug store across the street and saw the infected area ooze. Oh, that was not good. She needed something to aid the tree sap in its fight against the infection. _

_Lauren placed the gauze back on her wound, taping it up. She got to her feet, and threw on a jacket as she wobbled to the door. This motel might've been cheap. But it was very accessible. It had a few stores across the street and a bar. Maybe when she was feeling better, she'd check it out. _

_She ran across the lot to the small grocery store, and gathered up some supplies she needed to make a homemade antibiotic she'd learned about in her Afghanistan days. Being in the field taught her how to make use of unwanted items. _

_After she paid for her things in cash, she ran to the drug store and got some over the counter aspirin and other things she needed before running back to her room. The rain just about soaked her from head to toe. _

_She closed the door behind her and secured the flimsy chain, she turned out the lights except for a dimly lit lamp that sat on the nightstand. _

_With the items she'd bought from the grocery and drug store, she placed a small jar on the table beside the bed and began stuffing it with rosemary, thyme, garlic, ginger and some cider vinegar. She closed it with a lid and gave it a good shake, leaving it to set for an hour. _

_When she checked it again, the herbs had fermented thanks to the acidity of the vinegar. She took a look at what was left in the medical kit she stole from Taft's. Some empty test tubes, syringes and a bone marrow sample she swiped. _

_Maybe that would come in handy one of these days. _

_She took one of the empty syringes and removed the needle from the top. She just needed the plastic tube and the plunger that came with it. She filled up the syringe with the homemade antibiotic and pushed out a few drops over her infected wound. _

_It burned like hell, but it was worth it. _

_Those ingredients along with the tree sap would be enough to fight the infection. But she didn't know how long it would take. She popped two aspirin and washed them down with the only thing she had on hand; a miniature bottle of whiskey from the overpriced mini bar. _

_At least she wouldn't feel anything soon. _

_Lauren dropped onto her back on the bed, she was running the highest fever ever. And her vision was blurry. She knew this stage, any minute now she'd start hallucinating. _

"_Rough night?" _

_Uh oh, too late. _

_She turned her head, blinking. Bo was sitting next to her with a smile, "Bo" she sat up as best she could, smiling as her eyes glazed over from the fever. "I miss you, so much" _

"_I miss you too" Bo said, looking at her wounded shoulder. "I guess you've seen better days, huh? Why're you still running Lauren? You need to come home" _

_Lauren shook her head, sweat dripping from her forehead as she did. "I can't. The Una Mens want me dead. If I go back, they'll catch me" _

_Bo grabbed her hand. "I'll never let that happen" she sat closer to her. "You need to come home babe" she used her left hand to touch her cheek. "I need you"_

"_You're better off without me" Lauren began to cry. Sometimes she believed that. That she was the one thing holding Bo back from being what she was meant to be. _

_Bo stared at her. "You're wrong. You are the one thing in this world I'm sure of. I love you Lauren. You've gotta fight babe" she smiled at her. "You've gotta come home" she leaned in and kissed her. _

_Deep down, Lauren knew this wasn't really happening. But damn it, that kiss felt pretty darn real. When she opened her eyes, Bo was gone. And she was alone in the empty room as the storm raged outside. _

"_I love you too" She whispered into the darkness. _

**Present **

"After that, coming home to you was all I thought about" Lauren finished explaining. "Days went by, and my infection started clearing up. I dodged a few more attacks before I finally said; _enough is enough_. I injected myself with the Wendigo sample, and I became stronger. The strength gave me the guts to call you, which's how I found out about your disappearance. And the rest is history" she caught her up.

"I hate that I wasn't there for you" Bo sighed, "You shouldn't have gone through that alone" she rested a hand on her cheek. "I promise you; no one will ever hurt you like that again. I won't let them" she wondered if the asshole who shot Lauren was still around.

Because if he was, she wanted to have a talk with him.

Lauren smiled, leaning into her touch. "I know" she kissed her again, softly. Suddenly she wasn't so self conscious of her scars, and decided to pick up from where they left off earlier. She felt Bo's arms encircle her waist, pulling closer.

Bo turned around with her, and laid her down on the bed gently. There was no reason to rush this. Yes, she'd been given some pretty crappy news from the Una Mens, and she was still a little angry about the bounty hunters who scarred her girl, but all that went away now.

All that mattered was being together in this moment.

For Bo it had been months since she'd felt this kind of safety, and closeness. Even before she was taken; she felt an emptiness in her heart after she and Lauren took their break. In the weeks prior, she'd either been sleeping at Lauren's place with her or Lauren had been sleeping here.

She could count on one hand the amount of times she slept alone while they were dating and it was only the once. While she was going through the training for her Dawning, and Lauren was working tirelessly to find a cure to slow down her devolvement.

So, to have this now meant everything to her.

She looked down, and saw Lauren's yellow eyes staring back at her. Things were getting heated and it was obviously getting to her. So Bo stopped her movements for a second, both of them breathing heavily.

"Breathe" She said quietly.

Lauren did as she said, and it was working. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breathe. The Wendigo in her was begging to be set free but she wasn't going to let that happen. Seconds passed, and she opened her eyes again and saw Bo smile at her. That must've meant that her eyes had returned to normal. She reached up and pulled her down to continue their kiss.

As they did, Bo started rocking her hips again slowly. She moved her mouth to her Girlfriend's neck and interlocked her fingers with hers as she sped up.

The coppery odour of blood made Lauren aware of the fact that Bo had yet to heal her hand from earlier. With a hand on her cheek she lifted Bo's head to look at her. "Feed"

Bo slowed down, worrying about that request. "Are you sure?" She didn't want to hurt her.

"I'm sure" Lauren smiled. "Let me heal you" it was the one thing she could never do, not in the way Bo needed. But now she could, and it wouldn't cost them a thing.

Not needing to be told twice, Bo bent her head and kissed her. As she pulled away, she took a stream of Lauren's chi with her. She tasted amazing before, but now she tasted even better. The Wendigo DNA gave her chi a spicy kick. And it was delicious.

The sensation of the feed, was enough to push them both over the edge. Bo cut off the chi, and buried her head in Lauren's neck as she came down off her high breathing in and out.

Lauren on the other hand, was tingling all over for some reason. If she was more in touch with her animal side, she probably would've let out a satisfied howl, but she was way too civilised.

They didn't even end up talking afterward, they were so tired from their activity that they fell asleep. And boy, was it the best nights sleep they'd ever had. Bo in particular, hadn't been getting much since she got back. But this right here—this was everything.

In the early hours of the morning, Lauren untangled herself from Bo so she could get up. She threw a shirt on with some shorts and tip toed downstairs to get a glass of water.

The sun was just rising, it shined through the slats of the wooden boards that covered the windows. She was just finishing her water when she heard a knock at the door. Who the hell would be knocking at this hour? She was a little hesitant to answer it, what if it was a bounty hunter?

She stood there, wondering who it was. She figured if she left it then they'd go away. But they kept knocking.

Their incessantness even woke Bo up. She came downstairs with a sharp dagger in her hand. She wasn't losing Lauren to any bounty hunters. Not now. "Stay put, I'll take care of it" she walked over to the door, and opened it slowly.

On the other end was a scrawny guy dressed in a suit. "Good morning" he smiled wide. "I'm looking for Lauren Lewis, is she here?"

"Depends on who's asking" Bo remained cautious, keeping her dagger behind her back ready to strike if need be. "Who sent you?"

He reached his hand inside his jacket pocket, but was immediately grabbed by his collar and thrown into a wall with a knife to his throat. She obviously thought he was reaching for a weapon. "I have a package for her!" He screamed in terror.

Bo eased up, and stepped away with her knife. "Give it to me!" She held out her hand, watching him tremble as he placed it on her hand. She turned the envelope around and saw an official wax seal on the back. It had an initial on it. "What's the _M_ stand for?"

"Marquis" He said.

"As in _Evony_ _Marquis_?" Bo watched him nod. "Isn't she supposed to be dead?"

He shook his head. "With Vex on the run from the Una Mens, Evony had no problem absorbing her former position. Good timing too, with the Una Mens around we need a leader"

Why the hell was Evony sending Lauren a letter? "What does she want with her?" Bo asked.

He shrugged. "I'm not privy to that information, I'm just the messenger. I'm sure the contents will explain everything. Will you give it to her?"

Bo lowered her weapon, "Sure, now get the hell off my property" she pushed him away from the door, then closed it.

Lauren waited for Bo to return to the kitchen holding a letter in her hand. She heard the entire conversation thanks to her Wendigo hearing. "I must be famous if the Morrigan's sending me mail. I wonder what she wants"

"Let's find out" Bo placed the dagger on the kitchen counter, then took Lauren's hand and led her over to the couch. They both sat down, and Bo gave her the envelope. "Open it"

Gently, Lauren broke the seal and tore open the envelope. She picked out the contents and frowned at the message. "It's an invitation" she said. "She wants me to attend her Dark Ceilidh this afternoon" she turned the card around, hoping to find a description or something. "It's pretty vague"

"I hope you're not thinking of going" Bo said.

Honestly, Lauren wasn't sure. "Well, I'm curious to know what she wants. Also, maybe seeing her would be beneficial for you too. If there is a way to free yourself from the Dark, surely the _Leader_ of the Dark would know"

That was a good idea, but Bo never felt good about anything that had to do with Evony. "Even if there was, she'd never tell me. She hates my guts"

"What've you got to lose?" Lauren asked.

Literally everything, Bo thought. If she went to Evony, and ended up getting screwed over like she'd been so many times before—it wasn't just her life on the line anymore, it was Lauren's, Kenzi's and every other person she loved. But Evony was her only hope of getting her affiliation overturned.

"Alright, we'll go" She said. "But if she so much as looks at you the wrong way, we're outta there. Deal?"

Lauren loved her protectiveness. "Deal. Come on, let's go back to bed. I'm still exhausted" she left the invitation on the coffee table and took Bo's hand, leading her upstairs to the bedroom.

**Dark Ceilidh – Later**

After this morning, Bo didn't get much sleep. Unlike Lauren, who slept soundly beside her after they returned to bed. They had such a good moment before their little visitor, and then Bo was back to worrying. What if Evony wanted to use Lauren against the Una Mens?

It was a possibility given how high up on the Una Mens hit list Lauren was. They wanted her dead more than any other Human who used to work for the Fae. Bo promised she'd keep her safe now that she was back and she wasn't going to break that.

Over breakfast they both filled in Tamsin and Kenzi on what happened while they were sleeping. And Kenzi was all for going to a Dark party, along with Tamsin who wanted to get reacquainted with her Clan. She was Dark after all.

The venue was very mundane for Evony's taste. They knew her to be lavish, and this definitely wasn't that. They had a table full of potted plants and asked people to plant one in honour of their future. What was that about?

"If you're Dark, that means I'm Dark too right?" Kenzi asked Bo, she wasn't sure on the fundamentals.

Bo rolled her eyes, she hated being called that. It felt so wrong, for so many reasons. "We won't be Dark for much longer. Not if I have my way"

"Better enjoy it while it lasts then huh?" Kenzi grabbed a drink from a waiter and voiced her appreciation for the Dark in a very loud way.

Tamsin also took a drink, but upon tasting how strong it was she began to cough. "Ew!"

Lauren took the drink from her, she could smell how strong it was from here. It was like drinking rubbing alcohol. "Trust me, you're not old enough yet! There's a soda machine over there" She pointed to a table that had softer drinks. "Go with her please, make sure she doesn't hurt herself" she ushered Kenzi off in the same direction.

"What'd you say we look for our evil host?" Bo asked her. She just wanted to get this over with.

"No need darling" Evony stepped out from another room, standing before them with a mischievous smirk. "Funny, I don't remember the invitation including a plus one—" she turned her head, hearing the commotion coming from the soda machine where Tamsin had overflowed her glass, and Kenzi was trying to shut the machine off by unplugging the outlet. "Let alone three"

Bo stepped in front of Lauren protectively. "Too bad, cause' we're a package deal. You got a problem with that?"

Evony smiled, shaking her head with with a small laugh. "Not in the slightest. But then again, I'm not the one you need to worry about. It's the Una Mens who'll stop at nothing to rip you apart"

"They can try" Bo would never let that happen.

Lauren held Bo's hand, she didn't want her to get irate for no reason. "Why did you invite me here? What could I possibly have that you'd want?" She wasn't much use without a lab.

The room was getting louder as more guest began arriving, so Evony pulled them to a private room. She explained that the Una Mens were becoming a larger problem for her than she initially thought. Her reason for inviting Lauren was simple. She wanted to give her the freedom she never once had with the Light.

She offered her the chance to work _with _the Dark, not for them like she did with the Light. Lauren could come and go as she pleased; Evony didn't even want her to sign anything. The Light Fae were on a sinking ship, and she didn't want Lauren going down with them.

"You want me to join the Dark?" Lauren folded her arms, laughing at the notion.

Evony held a martini in her hand, "Not join" she made that clear, taking a sip. "Consult"

"What's the catch?" Bo asked.

There was always a catch.

"No catch" Evony said. "The Una Mens have made it clear they're not leaving town until all loose ends are tied up. Vex, being the loosest end of all. A little birdy told me about your new affiliation" she smirked at Bo.

The more Bo was reminded that she was Dark, the angrier she got. "I was tricked" she was sure of it. "The last two months are a blur, so if I pledged myself to you goons it wasn't by choice lady"

Evony was surprised to hear that. Two months. That was very interesting. "Well, if you really were coerced there's a simple way to overturn the pledge. All you have to do is show proof before the first full moon since you joined"

Lauren worked the math out. "That's tonight"

"Is it?" Evony gave an uncaring shrug. "Since Vex was in power at that time he definitely would've signed off on the ruling. Get him here, and I'll release you from the Dark's claim on you"

She needed Vex to get rid of the Una Mens. Other than Lauren he was the only one they wanted dead more than anyone else. And if Evony could make a deal with them in exchange for handing the Mesmer over, then that would be peachy. So she told Bo to do what she did best, and find him.

"You don't tell me what to do" Bo scowled at her.

Evony was loving this right now. "Actually, I do. Tricked or not, you're currently a subject of the Dark. You owe me your loyalty, and your complete service"

Urgh!

Bo hated her so much. "How the hell am I supposed to find him? He's been MIA for weeks. More importantly, I don't stand a chance against him and his powers. He'll have me snapping my own neck while he makes a break for it"

"That's where your girl comes in" Evony batted her eyelashes at Lauren. "You can make a pit stop at the Dark Compound. In the Lab you'll find a variety of drugs. I'm sure you'll find one to make Vex powerless and compliant"

Lauren was curious to know what the Dark lab was like. Maybe she'd have freer reign over there than she ever did with the Light. It was very enticing. "And locating him? How're we supposed to do that?"

Evony snapped her fingers, and seconds later a red headed woman entered the room with an excited smile on her face. She introduced herself as Pietra, and she was their biggest fan. It was cute, and also creepy. The good thing was, she knew were Vex was hiding—well the general area.

So that was covered.

"Here's the deal" Bo stepped closer to Evony. "I bring you Vex; you release me from the Dark—no questions asked. And you leave me, and my family alone. Are we clear?" She was very serious.

"Providing you give me your blood oath to honour that delivery" Evony wanted her to say the words.

Bo offered her hand. "I give you my blood oath, I will deliver you one boney assed Mesmer"

Evony took her hand, and shook it. "Then we have a deal. Oh, and Lauren?" She glanced at her. "My offer to you still stands. I think the Dark could be a good place for you. It's worth mentioning that if you were to accept, the Una Mens wouldn't be able to touch you"

Now that, was a very appealing offer. "Why not?" Lauren asked.

"Though they're classed as a neutral party, most of the Una Mens are made up of former Light Elders. The laws of them not being permitted to enter my territory are bound in blood. If you joined us, you'd be safe" Evony wasn't lying about that.

Rules were rules.

And these ones couldn't be broken.

Evony began walking to the door, "I'll give you a few moments to discuss it. Let's go Scavenger" she waved Pietra along as they both left.

Bo turned to Lauren, who had a look on her face she'd seen a million times. "You want to take her offer, don't you?" She rubbed her eyes with a sigh. "Lauren, the whole point of doing this is to get me _out_ of the Dark's clutches—not get _you _in!"

"Would I really be in their clutches?" Lauren asked. "You heard what she said, she doesn't want me to sign anything. She just wants me to consult for them. Would that be so bad, especially if it keeps me safe from the Una Mens?" She was tired of running.

She'd been running so long now.

And Bo understood that, more than anyone. "You don't need her; I can protect you myself. Look, I know you're sick of being hunted. And hearing about what you've been through kills me. But nothing good ever comes from trusting Evony"

"I don't trust her as far as I can throw her—which with my new strength, would be pretty far" Lauren said. "How about we pick this back up at home later? Right now, we need to find Vex so we can free you from your pledge" that was important.

"Does that mean you want to stop at the Dark Compound?" Bo was worried that if Lauren saw all the cool toys in there that she'd get lost in her brain and the offer Evony gave would become a reality.

Lauren took her hand. "We kinda have to. Vex's powers make him a formidable opponent. Drugging him would be the safer option. Come on" she walked her towards the door, but suddenly stopped as they got to the main hall. "What about them?" She pointed to Tamsin and Kenzi who were helping themselves to sushi.

Bo wasn't worried about them too much. "I think they'll manage without us" she could see her Girlfriend was worried about Tamsin specifically. "It's better she spends time with her own kind, it might be the key to her memories returning"

"What if they take advantage of her?" Lauren asked anxiously. In the state she was in, Tamsin was so innocent. And she couldn't help it, she'd gotten attached.

"Kenzi's with her, they'll be fine" Bo assured her, then led her out the building to find Evony and Pietra. She would've preferred to do this mission as a duo, not a trio. But Pietra was a necessary asset.

And riding around town in a lavish limo wasn't a bad perk either.

**Alley – Later**

After much running around, Pietra led Bo to Dyson's new boxing gym. It was only after a phone call to Trick that they were aware of the fact that Dyson now owned the building. Lauren figured out that Vex was probably hiding around that area due to the fact that no one would look for him in Light territory.

Asking Dyson for help wasn't something they wanted to do, but they tried calling him to no avail. They called Trick back, asking where he was and they were told Dyson had gone away for the weekend.

He was probably pouting after his tiff with Bo.

When they arrived, Vex—for obvious reasons—didn't show himself out in the open. So he sent an innocent bystander who was suffering from the effects of his control. He still needed the special dagger from Pietra to cut out the poison the Una Mens stuck him with.

Bo watched through a fence while Lauren armed up a few syringes with whatever drug she swiped from the Dark Lab. "Will that be enough to make him powerless?"

"And then some" Lauren smirked as she filled a few injectors. "I still can't believe the Dark grow this stuff. The Light always said it was illegal to produce it" Nectar of Violet was rare, and the Light Fae never allowed her to grow it in the lab.

It was considered too dangerous.

Clearly, the Dark didn't care about the rules.

Bo was a little worried. When they got to the Dark lab, Lauren looked like a kid in a candy store. It was obvious she felt at home there, and excited to be a part of something again. She didn't know what to say about it.

The fear of losing Lauren to the Dark terrified her.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard Pietra scream in pain. They both ran over, watching Vex's minion scamper off with the dagger. Pietra was more concerned about losing a leg, Lauren was quick to remind her that it was just a little bump and she'd be fine.

"She's getting away, hand me one of those" Bo held her hand out to Lauren, and caught an injector before running off in the other direction.

Lauren helped Pietra back to the limo. She needed to be quick to catch up with Bo.

**Dyson's Boxing Gym **

Bo chased the woman for a about five minutes before she lost her, but found Vex watching from above. "Playtime's over Vex! Time for you to face the music"

"Oh really?" He held his injured hand close to his chest. "I never thought I'd see the day where you of all people would be doing Evony's dirty work"

She stepped forward. "Oh, I volunteered for this one. Especially since you're the one who helped the Wanderer trick me into signing my freedom away to the Dark!"

When he heard that name, he laughed. The Wanderer was an old Fae legend. Mostly told to children as a bedtime story to strike fear into their hearts so they'd behave. He knew from experience, because his Mother used to tell him the same thing.

"It's over Vex" she said, slipping the injector into her hand ready to use. "You're coming with me whether you like it or not"

He didn't much like being threatened. "You really didn't think things through before you came here, did ya love?" He used his powers to control his minion from earlier as she snuck up from behind Bo and placed her in a choke hold.

"Actually—" Lauren appeared behind him in a blur. "We did!" She jabbed a syringe in his neck, and injected the Nectar into his veins.

Bo threw her head back towards the woman, breaking her nose. It was a little harsh considering she was just a puppet. "Sorry about this lady" she delivered a hard punch to her face, and knocked her out. She bent down and picked up the dagger Vex needed.

As she was turning around, Lauren was dragging Vex over by his legs. With ease thanks to her new strength. "One boney assed Mesmer, just like Evony ordered"

"Nice entrance" Bo winked at her. She'd teamed up with her before, but not like this. And it felt amazing. "How long will he be out for?" She looked at Vex, unconscious and drooling.

Lauren glanced at him; she could hear his heart beating. For a second there she wondered if she injected him with too much. "Depends on how fast his body burns through the drug. What about her?" She stepped over to the human Bo knocked out. "Well, her nose is completely shattered. But other than a massive headache, she'll be fine" she saw no permanent damage.

And Bo was relieved to hear that, but that wasn't the only thing she heard. "Do you hear a buzzing?" she furrowed her brows, trying to focus on the sound.

"Yeah, I do" Lauren put her heightened senses to work, and followed the noise. It was coming from Vex. She knelt down beside him, and picked up his poisoned hand. "It's spreading" she'd seen something like this before. "As long as he's infected, he's gonna be in tremendous agony"

Bo looked down on them, "That's his problem, not mine" she knew what Lauren was thinking. "And certainly not yours"

That was just it though, Lauren became Vex's Doctor after the battle with the Garuda when she treated his broken arm. She reminded Bo of that. Only to hear her laugh in response. "I can't sit back and watch him suffer when there's something I can do to help"

"Man, that Hippocratic Oath is a bitch huh?" Bo didn't know if she had the devotion to be committed to upholding that kind of promise. Vex was a perverted douchebag who had tried to kill them more than once, and Lauren wanted to help him in spite of all that.

"You have no idea" Lauren smiled sadly. "Let's get him over to the Dark Compound. I'll treat him there. Their medical wing is way more advanced than the Light" she picked up Vex's right leg and began dragging him to the door.

Bo watched her walk on. She knew with the more time Lauren spent with the Dark Fae, and their cool toys in the lab, that she'd lose her. She didn't want her being taken advantage of by Evony. Lauren was in a vulnerable place right now. Bo would die before she let anyone hurt her again.

**The Dal - Later**

When Bo delivered Vex earlier, she was stoked to have her pledge to the Dark annulled. However, nothing was ever that simple for her. When they got Vex to the Dark Clinic, he began to wake up from his little nap. Lauren explained what happened, and watched him pout at the fact he was taken down by a Human.

Or so he thought.

She told him that she was going to perform an amputation using the Scimitar of Cronus so he would no longer be at the mercy of the Una Mens' poison. He was grateful, enough to help Bo out with her little predicament.

When questioned, he revealed he had no idea about her pledge to the Dark. Or who signed off on it. But he told her to ask for Evony's archivist, he would have details regarding her claim, and who sponsored her. So, she left Lauren with him while she confronted Evony.

Though, when Bo was given a copy of her joining form. She saw her own signature, and that of her mysterious witness. Rainer. Who the hell was Rainer? And why did he sponsor her to join the Dark?

Was he the one who took her?

"I don't care who this Rainer guy is" Bo held out the disgusting piece of skin that the archivist provided her with. "He obviously tricked me. So, tear this thing up. I don't even remember signing it!"

Evony waved a hand at the archivist, watching him leave. "Unfortunately, I can't do that. This document is a binding agreement. Once someone joins the Dark, not even I have the power to grant an annulment"

Bo realised her lie. "What you said about the full moon was bullshit, wasn't it?" she watched Evony smile wickedly. Of course, it was. "So, there's no way for me to get out of this?"

"I may have fibbed about the moon, but everything else was true" Evony said. "If you can find your mystery sponsor, and have them provide proof that you weren't of sound mind; your pledge can be overturned"

"And how am I supposed to find someone I don't remember meeting?!" Bo got angry.

Evony shrugged. "Beats me"

Bo couldn't be near her anymore, she was going to lose it. She took her joining form, and turned around to the door. But stopped when Evony mentioned Lauren's name.

"I hear she's making herself quite at home down in my lab" Evony smiled, she could smell Bo's jealousy from here. "You and I both know she's safer here than she'll ever be with you. Especially given her new, _status_" she locked eyes with Bo.

That's why she was doing this.

It all made sense now.

"How did you find out?" Bo asked.

"Half of the bounty hunters after her are Dark" Evony answered. "A few weeks ago, she had a run in with two of them. Only one returned. And boy, did he have a tale to tell. I've issued a ban to prevent any further attempts on her life. But the Una Mens won't hold back until she's _very_ _very_ dead" she knew that for a fact.

But Bo didn't care, she promised Lauren she'd be there for her. "I can protect my Girlfriend" she remained confident.

Evony sat on her chair, behind her desk. "I guess we'll see, won't we?" she didn't have much faith in Bo. She clearly kept underestimating the Una Mens' influence. "Be a doll and tell her she's welcome to stop by any time" she gave a wave.

Bo turned around again, and left the office. She hated that woman with a passion. Going after her was one thing, but to prey on Lauren after everything she'd been through wasn't acceptable.

She texted her Girlfriend and told her she'd pick her up on the way to the Dal so she could discuss what happened today with Trick, but Lauren sent her a quick message back stating that she wanted to stay at the clinic for another hour and she'd meet her at the bar.

That wasn't a good sign.

**The Dal – Later**

When she turned up, Trick offered her beer but with the day she had she needed something a lot stronger. After her second whiskey, Trick dropped the bomb on her that the Una Mens had made him head of the Light Fae. "So, I'm Dark and my Grandfather is the new Ash—what a day, huh?"

"Acting Ash" Trick clarified, he didn't want to be made the Ash permanently. He'd done the whole King thing before, and it didn't end well. "Don't worry Bo, we'll figure out a way to get you out of this"

Bo wasn't holding out much hope. "Not without finding this Rainer guy. For now, I'm just gonna have to deal with this. Besides, I've got more important things on my mind" she kept checking her phone for a message from Lauren.

But nothing.

"How _is_ Lauren?" Trick knew that's who she was talking about.

"Are you asking as a friend?" Bo looked at him, he was the Ash now. And if they wanted, the Una Mens could make him pursue Lauren for her supposed crimes. "Or the Ash?"

He sighed, this was a problem. "A friend" he said. "And it's as a friend, that I'm letting you know that the Una Mens don't plan on giving up their desire to see her answer for her crimes"

"Let them try something!" Bo exclaimed with an angry expression. "If they so much as go near her, I'll tear them to pieces!" She'd never gotten so graphic but she was pretty sure she was capable of it.

Trick saw her eyes flash blue as she said that, it was just for a second but that never happened before. "Bo, are you alright?" He reached over to hold her hand.

And she immediately felt better. She took a breath. Of all the things she'd been through this week, and only one thing was getting to her. "I can't lose her again Trick"

"If you want to keep her safe—and I mean _truly_ safe—then I suggest you think about the Morrigan's offer. The Una Mens will not cross over into her territory. Lauren will be safe there" Trick said.

"With the Dark?" Bo couldn't visualise that. "If there's one thing they hate more than a Light Fae, it's a Human who used to work for the Light Fae. In what world would that make her safe?"

Trick scratched his beard. "Just talk to Lauren about it"

"Talk to me about what?" Lauren caught them both by surprise as she entered the bar.

Bo turned to her, not knowing what to say.

And here she thought chasing down Vex would be the hardest part of her day.

**Clubhouse - Later**

The ride back to the house was agonisingly quiet.

Bo had yet to tell Lauren what she and Trick were talking about. Mostly because she didn't want here Lauren's answer if she agreed with Trick's opinion. Was she the only one who wanted nothing to do with the Dark Fae? Why was everyone so quick to join them all of a sudden? They got into the house, and found a large muscular man in the kitchen.

"Don't I know you?" she looked at him with a frown, flashbacks of a mud slide were coming back to her. "You work for Evony, don't you? Did she send you here?"

He shook his head, "I came with Kenzi, she said I could stay for a while"

Bo raised both eyebrows, "Did she now?" She looked at Lauren who was none the wiser. "KENZI!" She ran off upstairs to find her best friend, she was so not in the mood for a guest tonight.

Or any other night.

"Where's Tamsin?" Lauren asked their new housemate, who introduced himself as Bruce. He told her that she was laying down upstairs because she wasn't feeling well after the dance off. "Dance off?"

"She saved me from a life of misery with Kaya. It was a dance battle to the death. For a second it looked like Tamsin was losing, but then she did her Valkyrie thing and Kaya's neck just went—" he imitated a break with his hands.

She knew she shouldn't be, but Lauren was getting worried about Tamsin in this vulnerable state. Which was crazy, considering she was such a bitch to her before. Lauren even slapped her. And now she was acting like a concerned Parent.

She really needed therapy after this.

"Sounds like you all had a busy day" Lauren smiled at him. For a big muscly Dark Fae bodyguard, he was surprisingly friendly. "I'm gonna go check on Tamsin" she walked off to the stairs.

**Kenzi's Bedroom**

Tamsin had been sitting on her bed, watching Bo and Kenzi argue about having Bruce stay with them. She wondered if this was her fault, considering she was now Bruce's master. And she got the sense that Bo didn't like her very much. Probably because she was Dark.

"We have enemies attacking us from all angles and you decide to bring _another_ Dark Fae into our home!" Bo couldn't contain her anger right now. "What the hell's wrong with you?!"

Lauren quickly stepped into the room and defused the situation before it got bad. "Okay, everyone stop! Bo, I know this's a lot but Bruce isn't a threat to anyone"

"You don't know that Lauren!" Bo said.

Kenzi had to defend him. "He protected me for weeks while you were gone! If it wasn't for him, I'd be dead. We can trust him Bo, I wouldn't have brought him here if we couldn't"

Bo took a breath, she didn't have the energy for this now. "Fine, but he's _your_ responsibility" she turned around and left the room.

"What's up her ass?" Kenzi asked Lauren. Who informed her that Evony's promise to release her from the Dark was a lie. "That sucks, but there's something else going on with her. Are you guys okay?" She wondered if they'd had a spat.

Lauren wanted to say yes, but then realised that maybe that _was _why Bo was in such a mood. "We will be" she gave a small smile. "I'll handle her, it's okay" she turned to Tamsin. "I heard you had quite the day"

Tamsin smiled widely. "I won a dance off against this super mean chick, it was so awesome!"

One of the things Lauren envied most about Tamsin right now, was the fact that she could see things through a happier perspective. It was due to her mind being very childlike. "I bet it was, but it's way past your bed time so how about you get some sleep?"

Listening, Tamsin climbed into her bed and pulled the covers over herself. She didn't realise just how tired she was.

With her finally sleeping, Lauren said goodnight to Kenzi and told her not to worry about Bo. She would talk to her and hopefully make everything okay. She left the room quietly, not wanting to wake Tamsin.

**Bo's Bedroom **

Breathing.

That's what Bo was focusing on at this moment. Breathing through her rage, and her worry. It worked for the first five minutes but now it was crap. So many things were changing, at a lightening fast pace. And she didn't like it. She just wanted things to go back to the way they were.

Was that so bad?

She sat on her bed with her legs crossed, taking another look at her Dark contract. Rainer. No last name. Just, Rainer. Who did he think he was?

Jesus?

She turned her head to the right when she heard a knock. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to jump down her throat like that" she referred to Kenzi.

"She understands" Lauren entered the room, she took off her shoes and quickly changed into something comfier. "Everyone knows how hard it's been for you since you got back"

Bo shook her head, sighing. "I don't want a free pass" she wasn't here to gain sympathy. "Things have been tough, yes. But that's what life is, right? I don't want people handling me with kid gloves every time something goes wrong" she waited for Lauren to sit next to her. "Trick said you should take Evony's offer"

Lauren couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. "Of course he did" this was dangerous territory. Trick wasn't just some friend, he was Bo's Family and she didn't want to cause a rift between them by telling Bo what she heard while in the Dark Clinic.

But Bo could tell something was afoot. "What is it?" When her Girlfriend didn't answer, she picked up her hand. "Please Lauren, I need to know"

"I'm not surprised Trick suggested that" Lauren said. "Before I left the Clinic, Evony called me to her office. It turns out the Una Mens have given Trick a very special job. As the new Ash, he has to clean up Hale's mess. Starting with me, and my capture"

That was absurd.

"But Trick would never do that" Bo was sure of it.

However, Bo clearly wasn't aware just how far the Una Mens' influence reached. And what they could do if someone refused their orders. "He might not want to, but the Una Mens won't give him a choice. That's why he wants me to take Evony's offer. He can't capture me if I'm out of the Light's reach"

Clearly, Trick left a few things out in their chat. And after hearing that, Bo realised that maybe there was no other option. Being with the Dark was the safest place for Lauren. Evony was right, Bo couldn't keep her safe.

"Then you should go" she told her.

Lauren didn't expect to hear that from her mouth. "What? Weren't you the one who told me I didn't need the Dark's protection? That I'd be safer with _you_?" Why was she saying this?

"Lauren, I will fight until my last breath to protect you" Bo touched her cheek with a smile. "I love you, and you are worth breaking every single Fae Law—over and over. But I'm just one person, and even with your new abilities—they'll never stop"

"I thought we were done saying goodbye to each other" Lauren felt her tears fill her eyes. She didn't want this.

Bo smiled, moving closer to her. "This isn't goodbye, okay? You're just moving across the city, that's all. Besides, I'm Dark too. We can see each other all the time. Nothing's gonna change for us" she kissed her.

Lauren kissed her back, even more passionately than she did. "Promise?"

"I promise" Bo whispered in her ear, then brought her into a tight hug.

No, this wasn't how she imagined things going now that they were back together and in a good place. Having Lauren living here felt so good. But the fact of the matter was, she wasn't safe here. The only place she was safe, was in Dark territory.

Bo laid with her afterwards, holding her close. This was probably their last night in this bed. At least for a while. She just wanted peace and quiet with the girl she loved.

One last time.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello all! I know it's been a minute since I've posted anything, and it's not because of any unsavoury comments made in a few of the replies I've had for this story. Quite the opposite actually, I've been really busy in work and just haven't had the time to stop and post an update. To JMC, I hadn't actually seen the review you mentioned until I saw yours, and whoever made it in your name—they're just giving their opinion, maybe should've used their own username instead yours but I remain unaffected. **

**Anyway, here's an update for this and I will post the ending to my other open fic. Also, in the background of my hectic work life I've been working on some rewrites for What Could've Been and also a new Season 2 AU based on a review from a reader, and it's shaping up quite well. That's all I'm gonna leave you with. **

**Hope you like this one and remember to tell me what you thought, and if anyone has ideas for What Could've Been then drop them in a review.**

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Worst Day Since Yesterday**

**Lauren's Old Apartment – Next Day**

While Bo was at the Dal with Kenzi, and Tamsin was at home binge watching Netflix, Lauren decided to go back to her old place and pack up her stuff.

This morning, she gave Evony a call and accepted her offer to protect her in exchange for consulting for the Dark. Evony was so thrilled she even sent over some bodyguards to watch over Lauren while she packed.

She got through her guest room first, which was pretty much her home office. She kept all her files there. Just as she was about to dump them in a box, she realised they were files belonging to her Light Fae patients.

She worked for the Dark now, these files were no use to her.

So she placed them in a new box, and scribbled the label _trash_ across the side in black sharpie ink. She filled two more boxes with the same label and left them by the front door. She then moved onto her bedroom, and began packing all her clothes and shoes.

Even though she was moving to another apartment, in a part of the city she used to consider rough; Lauren felt oddly happy about leaving the Light Fae. It was like she was being born again. Which is exactly what prompted her to leave the radio on while she packed.

"Ahem?"

She spun around in a fright, seeing Evony standing there with pizza and a six pack of beer. "What are you doing here?" She heard her say she'd come by to help her pack. "Oh, okay. Umm, why?"

"That's what friends do, isn't it?" Evony placed the pizza box down on the coffee table. She looked around, and noticed the space was short a Succubus. "I'm guessing Bo had something better to do? Some Girlfriend—she can't even take time to help you pack"

Lauren took steps towards her. "For your information, she offered but I told her I could handle it by myself. She's been through a lot; she deserved a little down time"

"So have you, from what I've heard" Evony twisted off the caps from two beer bottles. "Can't have been easy being on the run for so long" she handed her a bottle.

"It wasn't" Lauren checked the label. Dark Belch. What kind of a name was that? "But I managed" She took a swig of the bottle and coughed at the taste. "Jesus! How strong is this?" The alcohol percentage was outrageous.

Evony rolled her eyes. "You're Dark now Lauren! Show a little spine" she knocked her bottle against hers, toasting their new partnership. "We're gonna do great things together"

All Lauren could do was smile. She wasn't stupid enough to believe that Evony wanted her to work for the Dark _just_ because of her valuable brain. She had a feeling it had something to do with getting one up on Bo. But she had no proof yet. Which meant she had to lay in wait.

They enjoyed some pizza and polished off two bottles of beer each as they sat on the couch. Lauren checked the clock and it had been a whole three hours since Evony's arrival. Time had flown by. They talked about the various things Evony wanted Lauren to do.

Like cloning, to name a few.

But Lauren expressed her disgust for that kind of research and made it clear she would never be a part of something as barbaric as that.

There conversation was cut short when Kenzi suddenly appeared at the front door. "Well, what do we have here?" She saw some leather bound books on the coffee table. "Dark Fae book club?"

"Belch?" Evony offered her a beer.

Kenzi stiffly shook her head. "No thanks" she looked at Lauren. "A word, if you're not too busy?" She waved her over to the end of the room. "Teensy thing—you wouldn't happen to have any liquid argon laying around would you?"

That was a strange and specific request.

"I do" Lauren didn't like the vibe she was getting. "What do you need it for?" Kenzi tried to pawn off a story on her about needing the chemical to add to their homemade hooch. "Nice try, but I'm gonna need an actual answer. What's going on?"

Kenzi sighed, she was busted. "We have a necklace made from clear Atlantean Cords that're about blow any minute. Which is why we need the argon"

"Clear?" Lauren asked. "As in, _crystal_ clear?" Kenzi nodded. "You don't need the argon for that. If the cords are clear it means there's no fire in them anymore"

"So, they're duds?" Kenzi saw her confirm it with a smile. "Phew!" She chuckled in relief. "That was a close one huh? Then I guess I won't be needing this" she gave the canister back to Lauren. "Is this a weekly thing now?" She pointed to the Morrigan who was helping herself to yet another slice of pizza.

Lauren shook her head, laughing. "No. Evony's just helping me pack a few things. We're just chatting. Nothing to worry about"

Kenzi noticed how Lauren was getting friendly with the Morrigan as she kept calling her by her first name. "Then I better let you guys get back to chatting, huh?"

"Hey, how's Bo doing?" Lauren quickly asked. "She was really upset last night and I haven't heard from her since I left this morning"

"She's good" Kenzi was lying. Bo had suffered another rough day courtesy of the Russian Alkonost named Ianka who had the key to unlock her repressed memories. But she didn't want to worry Lauren anymore. "Busy helping a new client that dropped into her lap today. I'm sure she'll be by later"

Lauren could tell there was something wrong, but she didn't want to push it. "Okay. Hey Kenzi?" She called her before she left. "Tell her I love her, and I'm here if she needs me"

Kenzi smiled. "I will" She turned around and slipped out of the apartment.

Even though she wasn't supposed to be listening, Evony heard everything Lauren and Kenzi spoke about. "I have to ask, what's so special about Bo? I mean, you're a smart woman. And Bo isn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box"

"Says you" Lauren folded her arms, addressing her. "That's your problem. Everyone in the Fae world underestimates her. She's a lot smarter than you give her credit for. And she's special, because she's different than the rest of you"

"Moi?" Evony faked hurt. "Different, in what way?"

Lauren approached the couch, leaning against it. "For one thing, she's kind. She treats Humans like they're actual people and not food. And she cares" she saw Evony's face turn serious. "That's why I love her"

Evony had never heard something so inspiring. And it was making her experience a very unfamiliar feeling deep inside. It almost felt like jealousy. Was she jealous of what Lauren and Bo shared? Or was she jealous of how everyone bent over backwards for Bo all the time?

Probably the second one.

"Well, unlike the Light I have no intention of trying to break you two apart. It hasn't exactly ended well for the people that've tried" She said.

"Meaning?" Lauren asked in confusion.

Evony began counting on one hand. "The first Ash—dead" She held up another finger. "Lachlan—dead" she held up another. "And Nadia—dead! Everyone who comes between you two, ends up losing their life. That isn't a coincidence"

Upon hearing her dead Girlfriend's name, Lauren got very angry very fast and couldn't stop her inner Wendigo making an appearance. Her eyes shifted before she closed them and breathed through it. She didn't want to lose control. "Nadia's death, was the Garuda's doing. Not mine, and certainly not Bo's"

She'd come to terms with what happened back then. And realised that none of it was her fault. Nadia was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

"If you say so" Evony backed off. "Well, this day has been entertaining but I have a Clan to run" she got up off the couch and reached into her handbag. "The keys to your new condo" she handed them to her. "I'm really glad you decided to come on board with us"

Lauren took the keys, looking at them in her hand. She couldn't believe she was actually moving. This apartment had been her life for the last seven years. "I'm only working with you so the Una Mens can't touch me. Don't mistake this for loyalty to you. This is about survival"

Evony smirked. "Trust me honey, the Dark are all about survival. I think you'll fit in well with us" she shook her hand, and held it for a second longer. "This's the beginning of something—beautiful" she let go and turned around to leave.

The look on Evony's face, told her that something larger was at play here. She was up to something. And whatever it was, Lauren was going to take a wild guess it had something to do with Bo. If she really was intent on hurting her, Lauren couldn't let it happen.

She picked up Evony's beer bottle, noticing the lipstick stained rim at the top. Maybe she could do something with this. So she got an evidence bag from her old desk and secured it inside. If Evony was up to something, then this was going to help Lauren take her down.

Lauren spent a few hours more, packing up her stuff. She'd labelled and secured every box. All that was left to do was go over a check list. She went upstairs to take one last look at everything before saying goodbye. Her bedroom was the room she'd miss the most.

She had so many great memories in here.

Her bed looked so bare without all of her things around it. Her closet was empty, as was her bathroom. Turning her head slightly, she could smell that Bo was trying to sneak up behind her. "Good day?"

Bo huffed, she was so close to actually surprising her. Stupid heightened senses. "_Long_ day" she wrapped her arms around her Girlfriend from behind and looked at the empty bedroom over her shoulder. "Was it always this bright?" She didn't remember the wallpaper being that colour.

"Yes, but I can't blame your for not paying attention. Admiring the wallpaper wasn't high on your list of priorities when you stayed over" Lauren chuckled, they did anything _but _talk.

Fun times.

"It's a shame though" Bo said. "We had some good memories in here. Like that time you called in sick at the Clinic and we stayed in bed all day watching movies" that was one for the history books. "It's like the end of an era"

Lauren leaned back into Bo's warm body. "Yeah, the end of being a slave to the Light. I can't say it won't be the same with the Dark, but from what I've seen so far—Evony is treating me fairly"

"Fair or not, she's still Dark" Bo hugged her tighter. "Just don't drop your guard around her, okay?"

Turning around in her arms, Lauren smiled at her lovingly. "I won't, I promise. I know you're worried about me Bo, but you don't need to be"

That was easier said than done unfortunately. "I always worry when it comes to you. You're the most important thing in my life Lauren. I'm not gonna take your safety for granted, and neither should you" Bo could never stop worrying about her.

"I'm not" Lauren replied. "I'm fully aware of my _wanted_ status. I have the scars to prove it, thank you" she always felt a twinge of pain when acknowledging her scars.

Bo reached a hand up and moved the collar of Lauren's shirt to the left a little on her right side. "If I ever find the bastard who did that to you—" she paused, thinking of the violent possibilities. "He'll be begging for death when I'm done with him"

"If it's all the same to you, I'd really love it if we didn't dwell on what was a really shitty time for me" Lauren hated thinking about that week. She'd never felt so scared and lonely in her entire life.

"No dwelling—got it" Bo smiled. "So, since you're saying goodbye to the place and so am I, technically; what do you say we leave it a little parting gift?" She gave her most seductive bedroom eyes.

As much as Lauren wanted to leave her mark on this place, she was wrecked from packing all day. And Bo was using this as a distraction from whatever happened while she was at the Dal. "Or, we could talk about what went down at the Dal today?"

Bo pouted. "I see Kenzi let some things slip when she came to get the argon earlier" she broke out of the embrace. "There's not much to tell, honestly" she was still figuring it out herself.

Today had been crazy.

Taking her hand, Lauren led Bo over to the bed to take a seat. "I know something's bothering you. Keeping it bottled up will only make things worse. If you can't talk to me, then who can you talk to?"

She was right.

Bo was just going to make herself worse if she continued to keep things inside. So she explained to Lauren about what happened with the Russian songstress named Ianka. And how when she sang a few notes, Bo's hazy memory of her time away became _less_ hazy.

"What did you see?" Lauren asked.

Bo thought back to what Ianka's voice showed her. "I saw myself running through the woods, waking up in a bed that wasn't mine, finding an antique crown with my name on it, and—"

"And what?" Lauren didn't like the look on her face.

It was hard to make sense of the memories. "I was looking in the mirror, and found a glowing handprint on my chest. I think whoever took me—it belonged to him" This was messed up in so many ways. "Ianka said I told her to come looking for me. Problem is, I don't remember. But, I found a note hidden in my knife. Written in _my_ handwriting. It's crazy, right?"

"Very" Lauren was trying to make sense of all this herself. Her eyes widened as she saw the same glowing handprint Bo spoke about appear on her chest.

Upon feeling it, Bo took a sharp intake of breath. It vanished within seconds. "He marked me" she touched her chest. "I think Rainer might be my Father" she closed her eyes, singing. "I feel like I'm stuck in a nightmare and it's never ending"

Lauren hugged her, "Whoever Rainer is, he can't hurt you now. You're safe"

And Bo did feel safe. "I don't really wanna talk about it anymore. Can we change the subject?" It was too depressing.

Lauren leaned in with a smile, kissing her. How was that for changing the subject? "Who says we have to talk?" She wasn't so tired anymore.

"Now you're speaking my language" Bo pulled her close for another kiss and lifted her Girlfriend into her lap. She picked up the hem of Lauren's shirt, and began lifting it slowly. But before she could remove it, she heard a strange noise. "What was that?"

Lauren put her enhanced ears to work, "I don't hear anything. It's probably just the guards doing a sweep"

"What guards?" Bo frowned. "There were no guards when I got here"

Uh oh.

Lauren climbed off of Bo, and as she opened the bedroom door she jumped back with a gasp. Three strange people were at her door, and they didn't look friendly. "Who the hell are you?!"

She may not have known who they were, but Bo did. She jumped in front of Lauren protectively, explaining who they were. "Get out!"

"We have no quarrel with you, Succubus" The Keeper stated. "We want the Doctor. She must answer for her crimes against the Fae"

The whole point of moving into Dark territory was so that this specific incident wouldn't happen. They couldn't believe this was going down now. Lauren was so close to being in the clear. One thing she knew, was that if Bo tried to stop them, they wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

"Bo, it's okay" She held her hand.

Turning to her, Bo was completely bemused by her words. "What? No!" She pulled a dagger from her boot, and aimed it towards them. "If you want her, you have to go through me"

"Then we shall go through you" The Keeper and her two cohorts took a step forward. But stopped when Lauren held up her hand.

Lauren didn't want Bo to get hurt. "I will come with you, willingly. Just, let Bo go. I'm the one who committed those crimes. She has nothing to do with this"

"A wise choice" The Keeper gestured to the door. "Come with us without resistance and we will let the Succubus live"

Bo shook her head. "Lauren, no!" She tried reasoning with her. "I won't let them take you!" She began crying at the thought of watching her be taken away. "Please. I can't lose you again" This was exactly what she was afraid of.

Smiling through her own tears, Lauren gave Bo a kiss. "Sometimes life isn't very fair" she whispered. "I love you. Never forget that" she kissed her again before letting go. She walked towards the Una Mens with her head held high.

But Bo wasn't about to give up without a fight. She let her go once before, she wasn't doing it again. "No!" She ran towards the Keeper with her knife but with the wave of a hand, she was thrown across the room and into a mirror that hung on the far wall.

Lauren tried to get to her but they grabbed her arm. She could hear from where she stood that her heart was beating. She was just unconscious.

As she was dragged away, she kept her eyes on Bo's unconscious body. Thinking that this might be the last time she ever sees it.

Whatever they had in store for her would no doubt be excruciatingly painful. But she knew right away that whatever they did to her wouldn't hurt her nearly as much as leaving Bo did.

There was no other pain like it.

**Later**

"Bo?"

Hearing her name called out to her rang differently through Bo's ears. It was like she was under water, and whoever was calling her was above the surface. They just kept calling her name, over and over again. She finally cracked an eye open when she felt her body shake.

"Bo!" Kenzi did everything she could to wake her best friend. And whatever she did just then must've worked because Bo was groaning. "Hey? Can you hear me?" She removed as much glass as she could from the floor, but there were still a few shards stuck in Bo's arm and blood ran from the side of her head. "Easy, just take it slow" she helped her sit up.

Bo closed her eyes, breathing through the pain. She touched the right side of her head; there was so much blood. She looked down at her right arm, and saw a few pieces of the mirror poking out of her skin. She picked them out one by one and threw them to the floor with a breath.

"What happened?" Kenzi asked. One second she was with Hale, beginning the honeymoon phase of their new relationship and then decided to check in with her bestie only to have the phone go dead. After Bo being kidnapped, Kenzi didn't take voicemail lightly. So she rushed right over to Lauren's old apartment where she knew Bo had gone to, and found her best friend like this. "Where's Lauren?"

Bo's tears stung more than her wounds. "They took her" she mumbled. "I tried to stop them, but they threw me into the mirror. They're gonna kill her Kenz" she reached out and held onto her best friend as she cried.

"Like hell they are!" Kenzi hugged her, this couldn't happen. "We won't let them. First thing's first, we need to get you cleaned up" she brought her downstairs and sat her on the couch. Kenzi looked through every packed box, wondering where Lauren stashed her medical kit.

She finally found Lauren's medical bag next to her desk, and brought it over to the couch where Bo sat. "I'm no Doctor, but this'll have to do until you can heal" she cleaned up most of the blood with gauze and bandaged up her arm.

"Healing is the last thing on my mind right now" Bo went to grab her phone, but her hands were shaking uncontrollably. "I just want her back"

Kenzi held her hands, stopping them from jittering. "We will get her back Bo, I promise. I'm gonna call Trick, okay? He'll know what to do" she picked up her own phone, and gave him a call.

That's when Bo wondered; did Trick give them the tip off that Lauren was here? No, he wouldn't do that. Would he? Trick was a stickler for following rules. But would he really betray her by sending the woman she loved to die?

When they saw each other she would definitely ask him.

But what if his answer was yes?

What would happen to them then?


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: So sorry I haven't posted in a while. Been super busy, but as I've said before—I will never abandons my stories. I know you're all still waiting for the ending to my other fic—which is coming soon, I promise. **

**Enjoy this one. **

**... **

**Chapter 7: Will This Chain Ever Break?**

**The Una Mens' Chamber**

When she was brought in earlier, Lauren was immediately chained to a wall by her hands and feet. She felt like she was stuck in medieval times. All that was missing was the stockade. She tried using her new Wendigo strength to break them but it was no use.

Only a fool would expect it to be that easy.

It had to have been a good few hours since she was torn from Bo earlier. She hated not knowing if her Girlfriend was okay. She looked up when she heard footsteps approaching. God, the Una Mens were ugly. And what in the hell were those outfits?

"You have given us quite the run around Dr. Lewis" The Keeper said, standing before her. "We do not take your crimes lightly. In fact, yours are considered the most heinous"

Lauren let out a laugh, "Would you mind telling me, what it is I'm supposed to have done? Other than running away from the Light Fae due to unfair treatment—I was a model employee"

"Employee?" The Keeper revealed a small frown. "The Fae do not employ your kind. The fact that you had the opportunity to serve the former Ash, was a privilege"

Wow.

Did she just say that to her with a straight face?

"That's funny, because I sure as hell didn't feel all that grateful during my time with him. Or with Lachlan, or even Hale for that matter" Lauren had sort of worked things out with Hale now. But their friendship was still a tad rocky.

The Keeper stepped closer to her. "Your feelings are not our concern. Your crimes though, they concern us greatly. One in particular we recently learned of" she got even closer. "One that insults us very much. Would you care to admit it freely?"

Lauren thought about it, and she wondered how they knew about her Wendigo abilities. No one knew but her, Bo, Kenzi—shit. Trick knew too. Would he really do that to her? "First you tell me who told you. If you don't, I'm not saying shit"

"Very well" The Keeper didn't mind telling her. "A Light Fae bounty hunter who was tracking you for the last few weeks; he told us of your new status. Did you think it was someone else?" She asked her. "Perhaps, Fitzpatrick McCorrigan?"

She just stared at her. "Did he give up my location?"

"We ordered him to aid us in your capture" The Keeper said. "However, he did not provide us with valuable information. We found you, because someone loyal to the Fae informed us of your whereabouts"

Who?

That's what Lauren was asking herself. Who would've gone out of their way to tip them off? It could've been some stranger, trying to make a name for themselves by helping turn in a fugitive. Or, the informant could've been someone close to home. Someone who gained a lot by having her out of the picture.

Someone who had conveniently taken a trip away.

But would Dyson do this to Bo? That was the main question. Lauren had no problem believing he'd do it to her. But he loved Bo, and hurting her in any way would've caused him sadness and pushed Bo further away.

"What's my sentence?" She asked her.

"We do not believe in rehabilitation" The Keeper answers. "You betrayed the Fae by abruptly leaving without your Master's permission. You absconded with all of our secrets and divulged them to another like yourself—"

Lauren pulled on her chains, "I didn't tell Taft anything!" She wasn't being blamed for that. "He knew about you long before he met me. He watched his brother get torn apart by a Wendigo"

"The very thing you have now transformed yourself into" The Keeper would've smirked if she felt irony. "That is to be your most atrocious crime. In violating our natural laws, you have turned yourself into an unholy abomination"

Hmm.

She'd been called a lot of things in her day, but that had to be a new one. "To Humans, you're considered an abomination"

"Blasphemy!" The Keeper yelled, she was over the conversation. "Dr. Lauren Lewis, you are hereby sentenced to execution. We will grant you the chance to say goodbye to your loved ones in the morning. For now, you will be bathed and scrubbed clean of any impurities" she snapped her fingers. "Take her"

Two monks arrived and unlocked Lauren's chains before dragging her away to another part of the chamber.

**The Dal**

Even after much coercion, Bo refused to go out and heal. She couldn't think about anything other than rescuing her Girlfriend from impending doom courtesy of the Una Mens. But she did accept a dish towel full of ice cubes for her head.

"I'm gonna try Hale again, hang tight" Kenzi walked outside to make a call.

Trick came back from grabbing Bo some aspirin, and noticed the angry look on her face. And he had a feeling he knew why she was looking at him that way. "You don't think I had anything to do with Lauren's arrest, do you?"

"A few months ago, I would've said no" Bo held the ice to her head. "But now, I don't know what to think anymore. I know you follow laws to the letter"

"Not at the expense of someone I care about" Trick said. "I made that mistake once before, and it cost me everything. I know how much you love Lauren. You're my Granddaughter Bo, I would never do anything to hurt you" he hoped she believed him.

Bo could sense he was telling the truth. And she was relieved because to be betrayed by her only blood relative would have devastated her. "Tell me the truth Trick" she placed the ice pack on the bar. "What will they do to her?"

He sighed, "She didn't just talk back to an Elder Bo, she betrayed the Fae" she asked for the truth, this was it. "It doesn't matter if it was for a good reason. The Una Mens were created to enforce the laws"

"Yeah, the laws you wrote" Bo pointed at him. "The Una Mens exist because of you Trick. You're the Blood King. Order them to stand down"

Unfortunately things weren't that simple.

"It wouldn't do any good. The Una Mens have taken enforcing the laws into their own hands. I could present them with a royal decree ordering them to pardon Lauren, and they'd throw it out. They follow their own direction" he wished he could snap his fingers and make things right.

But this was real life.

Bo felt like things were getting worse by the second. "So you're telling me there's nothing you can do? I won't leave her there Trick—" she hissed at the pain in her head. It had opened up again. "Damn it!"

"If you won't go out and heal, at least let me stitch that up for you" Trick didn't want to see her bleeding like this. He reached under the bar and grabbed some medical supplies. His Granddaughter sat still as he made a few stitches on the side of her head. "That should hold" he tied off the last stitch.

She was grateful. "Thanks Trick"

"Bo!" Kenzi ran in with an excited smile on her face. "We caught a live one! After I called Hale earlier he staked out the Una Mens' place and snagged a monk just as he was leaving"

Bo jumped off her stool. "Where is he?"

"Hale's taken him down to the cop shop" Kenzi said. "He figured bringing him here would get Trick in a lot of trouble. And we need him in the clear if he's gonna pull some strings for us later. The main thing is, we got a monk, and we can grill him all night long to get our Doc back!"

Trick put his medical kit away. "You should go, quickly. Monks bound to the Una Mens can't hold out for long. He'll do anything to stop himself from spilling their secrets"

Bo didn't even want to know the answer to that. "Let's go!" She grabbed Kenzi's hand and ran towards the door.

**39th Division – Later**

Hale had to spin a story to his Human Police buddies about why he had a monk brought in for questioning. They seemed to by it. People around here were used to weird things. He held the monk in the room that was being renovated out back. It didn't take long for Bo and Kenzi to arrive.

And as soon as the door opened, Bo went straight for the monk's throat. "Where is she?!" Her eyes shined blue. She wanted answers, and she wanted them pronto. "I swear to god, if you don't tell me I'm gonna cut it out of you!" She lifted a knife from her boot.

"Bo!" Hale pulled her away, "That's not the way to make him talk!" He noticed the monk cover his ears in pain when he yelled. "Too loud for you?" He realised what he had to do. Leaning close, he softly used his Siren whistle, but it was enough to make him scream. "When is Lauren's trial?"

The monk looked at the three of them. "No trial, only death" he said.

"What?" Bo felt her heart flutter, and not in the good way. "I thought everyone gets a trial, so they can plead their case"

He shook his head. "Not her. Dr. Lewis' case is a special one. She betrayed the Fae in more ways than one. Using her knowledge of us to turn herself into a weapon is not acceptable"

"She's not a weapon!" Bo smacked her hand on the table, watching him quiver. "She did what she had to do to protect herself" she fully supported Lauren's choice to turn herself into a crossbreed.

"She's an abomination" he said.

Hale held Bo back from striking him in the face, he was close to doing it himself. "Where is she now?"

"Being prepared for her execution" The monk replied. "She will be allowed the chance to say her goodbyes in the morning. By midday she will be put to death, and her crimes will die with her" he chanted a phrase in another language, and began convulsing.

He was dead.

Bo couldn't handle this, there's no way she could let this happen to the love of her life. "Someone please tell me what to do!" She looked to both Kenzi and Hale. "I can't just let them kill her!"

"You're not" Hale said. "None of us are. We're gonna get her back. I think I have an idea, but it's risky"

"Sounds like our kind of party" Kenzi tapped his arm. "Lay it on us baby" she could say that now, it was their thing.

Hale took a breath, "When you're summoned to say your goodbyes, that's when we hit them"

"How?" Bo asked.

"They'll be watching you constantly while you're there in case you try anything. Which means they'll be distracted long enough for Trick to smuggle us inside. The Una Mens are powerful, but like all Fae; they can be hurt. Trick can help us out with that too" Hale has a plan.

The question was; would it work?

"So that's it?" Bo looked at him angrily. "I'm just supposed to leave my Girlfriend in there with those monsters? What if they're hurting her?"

Hale shook his head. "Torture is beneath them, trust me. She'll be fine for the night Bo. And right now, there's nothing you can do for her"

"I don't accept that!" Bo yelled, before apologising for her outburst. "I'm not even sure I can sleep without her anymore, not after everything" she placed her head in her hands.

"I might have an idea"

The three of them turned to see Dyson standing in the doorway, he'd heard everything on his way in.

Kenzi was happy to see him, and gave him a hug. But she remained a little less friendly than she normally was due to the fact that he had fought with Bo before he took off. She was loyal to her bestie till the end.

Hale placed his hands in his pockets, "What did you have in mind?"

Dyson closed the door behind him. "There's no way they'll let you visit Lauren tonight. They don't bend rules for anyone. But you might be able to see her another way" Hale asked him to explain it. "The red string of fate"

As soon as Hale heard those words he smiled. "That's kinda genius D"

"Why?" Bo asked. "What the hell is it?" She'd never heard of it.

Hale explained that a red string of fate was used by the gods back in ancient times so that two people who shared a deep connection would be destined to meet no matter what time or circumstance they found themselves in. If they could get one on Lauren, and one on Bo; they could communicate through a psychic link.

"Trick will know where to find the string, we just have to figure out a way to get in the Chamber to put one on Lauren" Dyson said.

Kenzi looked at the dead monk while the three Fae tried to work out a plan of entry. She stepped over to him, and checked out his robe. "Hey guys?" She got their attention. "I think I've found your way in—it's me"

"Kenz, it's too dangerous" Hale told her. "If they catch you, you'll be Fae food. And I don't just mean that hypothetically"

"Relax babe" Kenzi tapped his arm with a smile. "If there's one thing I am amazeballs at, it's sneaking into forbidden places. I will get that hobo band on Lauren, and I'll get out. Easy peasy!"

Bo wanted this plan to work, but not at the expense of Kenzi's wellbeing. "Kenzi, Hale's right. I can't put you in that kind of danger. I love you for wanting to help, but this's just too risky"

Kenzi held Bo's hand. "It's nothing compared to all the times you've risked your life to save mine. I can do this Bo" more importantly, she wanted to do it.

"Thank you" Bo brought her into a hug. This meant everything to her. She pulled away, and turned to Dyson while Hale and Kenzi stripped the dead monk of his robe. "I know why Kenzi's helping, but why are you?" She folded her arms as she spoke to him.

Dyson had his reasons. "I'm just trying to make up for what I said to Lauren. I hurt her feelings, and yours. I know apologising won't make any difference, so maybe helping you do this will"

"I appreciate the effort" Bo was grateful, but still pissed at him for what he did.

**The Una Mens' Chamber, Holding Cells – Later**

Lauren had never felt so violated in all her life.

She was stripped of her clothes, and then given the most disturbing sponge bath by two monks. Once she was clean enough, they dressed her in a white outfit and placed her back in her cage. She took a seat on the floor with her back against the bars and closed her eyes.

"Psst"

Opening them, she saw another monk sweeping a broom next to her cage. It was only when they lifted their head that she saw it was actually Kenzi. She was about to say something when Kenzi shushed her. What were they up to?

Kenzi bent down, checking if the coast was clear and it was. She reached through the bars and tied the red string she got from Trick around Lauren's wrist.

Looking at it, Lauren knew what this was. It was a red string of fate. But she hadn't seen it in real life before.

Before leaving, Kenzi have her a wink followed by a smile. She'd done her job, now she had to leave before they caught her. She just hoped Dyson's plan worked.

Lauren played with the string on her wrist, but stopped when it began to glow. That was obviously supposed to happen. At least, she hoped it was. She closed her eyes, and thought of Bo. And within a flash, she was transported somewhere else.

**Clubhouse**

Bo had been laying in bed, with her own red string around her wrist. When it started to glow, she smiled. Kenzi did it. Now all she had to do was follow Trick's instruction. She laid back, and closed her eyes, thinking of Lauren.

"Bo?"

Opening her eyes, Bo jumped up from bed to see Lauren standing there in white pyjamas. "You're here!" She ran over and hugged her tight. "I can't believe it worked"

"You mean this?" Lauren pointed to her red string. Then looked around at the room. It was weird. She felt like she was here, but at the same time she felt like she was floating. "None of this is real, is it?"

Bo kept hold of her hand. "It's as real as it's gonna get, for now" she reminded her that this wasn't permanent. "Tomorrow I will get you out of there, and you'll be with me"

"I really wish that was possible Bo, but I don't think it is" Lauren sighed. "Whatever plan you're cooking up, won't work. The Una Mens are always five steps ahead. They want me dead tomorrow, and nothing—not even you, will be able to stop them"

"So, what? I should just let you get executed?" Bo hated the fact that it seemed like Lauren had given up. "Lauren, you did nothing wrong. Everything you've done, has been to survive. They can't punish you for that"

Lauren let out a sad laugh, "Apparently they can. It's not just about what happened at Taft's. Someone told them about my new abilities"

"Who?" Bo asked.

"A Light Fae bounty hunter" Lauren replied. "He'd been tracking me for a few weeks and saw me go all Wendigo on another Hunter. As for how they knew I'd be in Light territory today—that tip was given by someone they've deemed loyal to the Fae. They didn't give me a name"

Bo saw the look on her face, she may not have known the name of the person but she had a theory. "But you have a thought about who it might be, right?" Her Girlfriend expressed that Dyson would be the only one with something to gain from her death. "Dyson's the reason we're even talking right now. He told me about the red string of fate"

That didn't mean anything to Lauren though. In fact, this was a smart plan if Dyson played it right. But Bo seemed to believe him, and she didn't want to ruin their friendship. Even after what he said to her.

"Then I guess it'll remain a mystery" she rubbed her tired eyes.

Bo ran a hand down her cheek, "I know this is a terrible time to say this but, you look damn good in white" she looked her up and down.

That made Lauren laugh, for the first time since since this all started. "Flattery will get you everywhere" she noticed the stitched wound on the right side of Bo's head. "Is that from the mirror?" She wondered how hurt she got when they dragged her away. "Let me guess, Trick?"

Nodding, Bo touched the cut again. It didn't hurt as much as before. "Turns out he can do a lot more than pour a few drinks" she chuckled. "For a second, I thought he was the one who gave you up. He still might be, considering they didn't give you a name"

"No" Lauren shook her head. "If it was him, they would've told me. He's in the clear. I have no idea what my reaction would've been if they'd told me differently" Trick was her friend, it was hard to imagine him betraying her.

"Or mine" Bo didn't even want to think about it. "He told me he'd never do that to you, or to me. And I believe him. Being without you—for even a few hours, has been hell" she admitted sadly.

Lauren gave her a kiss. "Tell me about it. Bo, when they summon you tomorrow and it comes time to say goodbye—"

"We're not saying goodbye" Bo cut her off. "Not now, not ever. Okay? I will be there tomorrow, and you will be leaving with me. I promise, everything's gonna be okay. I'm not losing you again" she kissed her harder.

This was so hard.

Many times before, they'd been in situations where they thought it wouldn't see each other again. And as much as Lauren wanted to believe in whatever plan Bo was currently working on; she wasn't sure they could survive something as sinister as the Una Mens.

"I don't wanna lose you either" Lauren tried hold her tears. "I love you. More than anything. But—" she was cut off when Bo shushed her again. Whether she wanted to hear it or not, Lauren had to get it out. "But, this feels like the end of the road for us"

If the Una Mens wanted her dead, there was nothing anyone could do to help her. And even if Bo managed to come up with a viable plan, the Una Mens would see it coming and kill her too for interfering.

"It's never the end of the road for us" Bo said. "Lauren, you are the one constant thing in my life. There's no way in hell I'm letting you go. Not without a fight" she was not allowing this to happen.

The Una Mens could get their pound of flesh somewhere else.

Smiling, Lauren wiped her tears away. God, she had such a way with words. "Then I guess they're getting a fight" she sat with her on the bed, as they continued to embrace each other.

**The Dal**

Dyson was enjoying a nice cold pint after he provided Bo with her share of the red string of fate. Hale had safely extracted Kenzi from the Una Mens' Chamber and they had gone back to his place for a little alone time. It was so strange seeing them together. But he had to admit, they looked pretty perfect.

"I'm proud of you Dyson" Trick appeared from the back, he'd just returned from helping Kenzi sneak out of the chamber. "Coming up with that idea for Bo and Lauren was very clever"

Nodding, Dyson finished his pint. "It's the least I could do after the way I've treated her the past few days. When Bo gets her out of there I'm gonna need to apologise properly"

"If Bo gets her out of there" Trick said with a sigh. "While Kenzi was doing her thing, I met with the Keeper. I told her executing Lauren would be an unjust punishment for someone who has sacrificed so much for our people. Since they're not driven by emotion, I thought I could reason with her logical side"

Dyson could guess where this was going. "But you couldn't?"

Trick shook his head. "Lauren's crime isn't one I could argue. They are intent on seeing her pay for it with her life. However, the Keeper did mention something about a trade"

"What kind of trade?" Dyson asked.

"Remember the Helskor?" Trick saw the look on Dyson's face. "I am afraid that nightmare has come back to haunt us, my friend"

They had a lot to discuss.

**The Una Mens' Chamber – Next Morning**

The red string of fate was a blessing last night.

Bo fell asleep with Lauren laying next to her in bed, but she failed to remember that it wasn't real. It was just their minds showing them what they wanted to see. So when Bo opened her eyes on the morning, she woke up alone.

Around ten o'clock, she had a visit from an ominous messenger who told her that the Una Mens requesting her presence. No doubt to say her goodbyes before Lauren's execution began.

Along with Kenzi and Tamsin, she entered the chamber and waited in a separate room where Lauren was brought in wearing steel shackles. Seeing her bound like that made Bo sick. But there was nothing she could do, not until they put their plan in motion.

When Lauren saw her visitors, she was hoping to welcome a hug from Bo but Tamsin ran to her first and almost knocked her over with how hard she hugged her. "I missed you too Tamsin" she hugged her back.

"When're you coming home?" Tamsin didn't like being without her. She was the only one who had been caring towards her.

As much as Lauren wanted to believe in Bo's plan to save her from her tragic fate, she knew it wouldn't be easy. And she didn't want to lie to Tamsin if things went wrong. "I don't know yet. Soon, hopefully. Are you behaving?" Tamsin nodded. "Good girl" she pulled away, and stepped towards Bo.

Bo embraced her, trying not to cry. "Has anyone hurt you?" She wanted to ask that straight away.

"No, I've been treated very nicely considering I'm about to be executed" Lauren chuckled sadly, seeing the unamused look on her Girlfriends's face. "Sorry, bad joke" she was never really good at making those.

"Don't worry" Bo whispered to her as she pulled her closer. "In a few minutes this nightmare will be over"

Lauren loved her for fighting so hard. And she herself thought she'd have that same fire inside her to do the same, but after being here locked up for the night; she'd realised that no one escapes this place. So, it was time for her to accept her fate, and say her goodbyes.

"Bo, I—"

They were interrupted when the Keeper stepped in with two of her brothers. Trick and Dyson also walked in beside them, wearing a small smile on their faces.

What the hell was going on?

"Trick, what're you doing here?" Bo asked her Grandfather with a frown.

The Keeper clapped her hands, and within a second one of her monks appeared. "Remove Dr. Lewis' bonds" she watched him unlock her shackles. "She is free to go"

Lauren was so confused right now. "I don't understand. Yesterday you were adamant I pay for my crimes. Now you're just letting me go—why?" There had to be a reason.

"You may thank the Ash for that" The Keeper gestured to Trick. "He offered us something very valuable in exchange for your freedom. Consider yourself pardoned, with the condition that you never step foot in Light territory again. This is the first and last reprieve we will ever grant you. Be sure not to squander it" she turned around and left.

Bo couldn't contain her happiness. She gave Lauren a kiss, that she never wanted to end. But had to, because she didn't want to stay in this place a second longer. "Let's get outta here" she took her hand and led her out with their friends following behind them.

**The Dal – Later**

After stopping at the Clubhouse to get Lauren into new clothes, the gang decided to stop at the Dal for a celebratory drink. Going to the bar was the only place she could go from her old hangouts, given it was in neutral territory. It was weird to imagine never going back. The Light had been her entire life for the last seven years.

And now she was forbidden from stepping a foot within its borders.

Kenzi for one, was happy to have their little family back together and even happier that Trick provided them with luscious snacks while they celebrated. That poor bowl of pretzels never saw it coming.

Bo stood at the bar with Lauren, while Trick refilled their glasses with champagne. It was a special occasion after all. "We can't thank you enough for what you did Trick" she was eternally grateful to him.

"Actually, all I did was give a compelling speech" Trick finished topping up their glasses. "Dyson was the one who delivered the goods. The Una Mens have been searching for an ancient item for centuries. It's called the Helskor" he explained what it was and just how Dyson came to be in possession of it.

Lauren had a hard time getting her head around the fact that Dyson gave up something he'd been hiding for two centuries just to save her life. He probably did it to win Bo back. "Why would he do that for me?"

"I think he wanted to make things right with you. I know you two argued before Bo returned. He's been struggling with an apology for days now. He couldn't say it in words so he said it with action" Trick said.

Bo looked over to where Dyson was sitting with Hale, both of them having a laugh over something. She wanted to believe he did this to help Lauren, but she also wondered if he did it just to gain her favour again. "That was nice of him, I guess. Maybe you guys should hash things out" she spoke to Lauren.

"I'm grateful for what he gave up to help me" Lauren wasn't disputing that he did a nice thing. "But after what happened—the things he said to me—" she shook her head. "I still need some time" it was going to be hard for her to forgive the things he said.

They were cruel.

With a kiss on her cheek, Bo gave her a smile. "Take all the time you need babe" she could fully understand why Lauren was hesitant to trust Dyson again, what he said to her was mean and downright awful.

Suddenly, Tamsin came up beside them and gave Lauren another hug. She'd been doing that a lot since they left the Chamber. "Don't go away again" she mumbled into her side.

Lauren hugged her back, smiling. "I won't, I promise" she could see Bo didn't find this as cute as she did. "Why don't you go grab some food before Kenzi eats it all?" She nudged her in the direction of the buffet table.

"How long is she gonna be clingy towards you?" Bo asked. "She needs to realise you're not her Mother" it was time for Tamsin to hear the truth.

"She's knows I'm not her Mother" Lauren already had this talk with her. "But I was the one who cared for her when she was growing. I guess she feels attached to me. You have to admit, she's a lot nicer than the old Tamsin"

Trick seconded that. "Her memories could still come back. It doesn't necessarily mean she'll revert back to her old self but it could mix those former attributes with the ones she's developed now. She obviously feels a connection towards you" he told Lauren.

They sat and drank for a few minutes more, until Bo brought up her abduction again. She felt like every time she mentioned her new mystery sponsor's name, Trick choked up and tried to change the subject. Unfortunately, this was the topic of the week and seemed like it was staying that way.

She watched him skulk off to the back room when she tried to bring it up again, and turned to Lauren with a tired sigh. "Why does he keep dodging the subject? If anyone has any hope of figuring out who Rainer is and why he took me, it's Trick. I feel like he doesn't wanna help me at all"

"It might help if you told him about the mark on your chest" Lauren said. "Maybe once he hears that you've been marked by a mysterious stranger, it'll motivate him to help"

"His only Granddaughter was kidnapped, held captive for two months on another plane of existence and mind wiped" Bo stated. "That should be motivating enough. And this Helskor thing? There's something up with that. Maybe I should ask Dyson for a little more info—if that's okay with you"

Lauren smiled, "Bo, you don't need my permission to talk to him. You're your own person. I might not want to talk to him, but you can. In fact, why don't you stay and do just that. I'm exhausted. Awaiting my execution really took it out of me"

As much as Bo wanted information about the Helskor, she couldn't let Lauren out of her sight again. Not after all this. "So let's go" She finished her drink. "We can stay at your new place tonight. Maybe even break it in a little" her mouth curved into a smirk. "What do you say?"

"I say, I'm super tired" Lauren watched her pout. "But what's a few more hours without sleep?" She kissed her deeply. They were definitely on the same wave length.

The two of them announced their departure, and as they were about to head to the door Tamsin ran to Lauren's side. "I wanna go with Lauren"

Oh, this was getting too hard for Bo to swallow. She was putting a major downer on her quality sexy time with her Girlfriend. The only words that wanted to come out of her mouth right now, were; go away.

But that was really insensitive.

"Tamsin, I won't be staying at the Clubhouse anymore. I have my own place now, in Dark Fae territory. Remember, we talked about it?" Lauren had a conversation with her the night after Evony's party.

Tamsin remembered. "So then why can't I go with you?" She asked. "I'm Dark too. And Kenzi yells at me when you're not around"

Kenzi stepped in upon hearing the accusation. "Only when she tries to touch my stuff!"

Lauren felt torn, she didn't want to make Bo mad but she also didn't want Tamsin to feel like she wasn't wanted. And she wondered if placing her in Dark territory would be a better environment for her. "Alright" she caved. "You can stay with me. Go get your jacket" she watched her skip off with a smile.

"Seriously?" Bo stared at her Girlfriend in shock. Did she really just tell Tamsin she could live with her? "Lauren, you're not her Mom!" How many times did she have to say that?

"I know, but she doesn't have anyone else" Lauren felt bad. "And I never thought I'd say this but, she's grown on me. Besides, you were the one who said it was better for her to be with her own kind. Living in Dark territory could help jog her memory" it was a good idea.

Bo swallowed her annoyance. "Fine"

Tamsin grabbed her jacket and followed Bo and Lauren out to the car. She was happy to be staying with Lauren. She seemed like the only person who wanted her around.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Ah, the highly coveted and yet disappointing Christmas episode. There were bits of this ep that I found funny, but ultimately it made no sense just like all the others. Sorry to annoy you with my hateful rant, but this season was _so_ bad. **

**It was like the Sharknado of seasons. You know it's terrible, and yet you watch it anyway. **

**Anyhoo, take a gander at this one. I've taken out a big chunk of plot from the episode.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Crying Won't Help Me Now**

**Clubhouse – 1 Week Later**

Bo didn't know how, but one morning she woke up and it was all of a sudden Christmas time.

Well, Fae Christmas.

More appropriately known as Yule. To celebrate Kenzi was throwing a massive party at the house, and the guest list was anything but exclusive. There were people coming who Bo didn't even know.

When Kenzi was in party planning mode she was a nightmare to be around so Bo hid out at her Girlfriend's new place which was so gorgeous she couldn't even find words. The Dark sure knew how to pick apartments.

They'd been having a _lot_ of fun together.

During the week they found it hard to steal a moment together considering Tamsin was being their third wheel. But two days later, she left Lauren a note stating that she needed to find herself again.

Flashes of her old memories were sinking in and she needed to make sense of them, which meant seeking out members of her own kind.

Lauren went out of her mind with worry, but she ultimately knew that this was something Tamsin needed to do alone. And she could respect that, and she'd be here for her when she got back.

Not long after Tamsin left, Evony had new work for Lauren to do now that she was officially on team Dark. She'd been working late in the Dark Clinic for over two days and Bo had barely seen her. To make matters worse, Bo had started getting night terrors. It only seemed to happen when she slept alone.

She had yet to talk to Lauren about them, she didn't want her to keep worrying more than she already did. The only person she'd told was Kenzi, because she could hear her screaming in the night.

Trick had been avoiding her. Whenever she'd bring up Rainer or her abduction, he would change the subject just like before. It was like he didn't care. Either that, or he secretly knew who Rainer was and didn't want to tell her.

Either way, she was no closer to finding out why she was taken or who Rainer was.

Having had no sleep last night, she decided to take a little nap before the party. When she woke up she heard music blasting from downstairs and saw Lauren sitting beside her, holding something over her head. "Is that mistletoe?" She sat up with a laugh.

"Actually it's parsley, but the message lands the same" Lauren smiled. She was shocked that Kenzi had left out mistletoe on her list of supplies for a Christmas party.

"This is adorable, but you know you don't have to hold an herb over my head to get a kiss out of me" Bo leaned in, brushing her lips over hers. "For you, they're free"

Not just kisses, but other things too.

Lauren placed the herb on the beside table, "That goes both ways babe. Kenzi said you had a rough night. Are you okay?" She heard from Kenzi that Bo woke up screaming last night.

Bo yawned, covering her mouth. "I'm fine, just a little PTSD I guess. I'm sure it'll pass soon enough"

"PTSD doesn't pass Bo" Lauren knew from experience. "The only way to get through it is to talk about it. You know you can tell me anything. What's scaring you?"

"I just hate not knowing what I was doing for those two months while I was on that train. It's driving me crazy" Bo let out a sad sigh. "I don't feel like myself, and it's pissing me off"

That was understandable given what she'd been through. And as much as she wanted to have a good cry, she just didn't have the energy. It wasn't like crying would help anyway.

Lauren picked up her hands, and held them. "I know it's hard, but you will get through this. You're the strongest person I know" she had something to tell her but she figured now wasn't the best time. "Why don't you forget about all this for tonight? We'll enjoy the party, have some drinks—it'll be fun"

"Fun huh?" Bo rubbed her eyes. "Fine. For you, I will put on a smile and be merry with everyone else" she gave her another kiss.

"Well, there's a guy downstairs who's a little _too_ merry if you catch my drift" Lauren gave her a look. "He's a Choga, so his sweat is like a drug. He kept asking me if I wanted a lick" she made a face in disgust.

"Eww" Bo shared her opinion. "Regardless of that, I still think we can have a good time. Let me get changed, and I'll meet you downstairs. Fix me a stiff drink" she kissed her cheek and jumped off the bed to go to her closet.

She had a blue dress in mind that would compliment her very well tonight.

**Downstairs – Later**

The party seemed to be in full swing.

And everyone was having fun, Vex even showed up and was constantly moping about only having one hand. Ever since they dropped him in the Dark Clinic, he'd been begging anyone with a medical degree to reattach his hand to his stump. But none of the Doctors in the Clinic wanted to help him because Evony was still pissed at him for encasing her in a wall.

He honestly thought she'd be over it by now.

"Come on Doc!" Vex kept bothering Lauren with the same questions he'd asked every Doctor in the Dark Compound. "I'm sure it won't take you more than two seconds"

Lauren looked at him dumb. "What you're talking about is a major surgery Vex" she couldn't believe he was this stupid. "It's not just your hand I have to reattach. It's your nerves, and your muscles. It takes time!"

"So then let's go!" Vex said.

Bo appeared with another drink for herself and for Lauren. And immediately took in the sight of Vex's outfit. She gave the cups to her Girlfriend to hold. "Are you wearing my corset?!" She grabbed him by its straps. "You know what, keep it" she let him go.

Vex smiled, score. "What'd you say Doc? Let's go sew up some nerves!"

"Vex?" Bo got his attention. "Remember the conversation we had not too long ago?" He frowned at her. "About how if you didn't stay away from my Girlfriend that I'd make Christmas ornaments out of your boys?" She gave a wicked smile. "Guess what? It's that time of year!"

If that wasn't a threat, she didn't know what was.

Vex gulped, frightened. His hand immediately went to his crotch out of fear. "Umm, I'm just gonna be over there" he pointed to the kitchen. "Far away from you, and your gal" he turned around and ran.

Lauren was impressed, and also a little confused. "When did you tell him that?" She gave Bo back her cup, and kept her own.

"Last year when I helped Kenzi save her friend from a Slenderman, and then there was the whole thing with Atticus; the sewer Alligator—" Bo exhaled. "Wow, that feels like a lifetime ago" she took a sip of her drink.

How could one year, feel like ten?

They sat and drank for an hour, and saw strangers enter the house one after the other. Honestly, Bo didn't know any of them. One she did know though, was Dyson. He walked in holding a keg of beer as a party gift. And asked if he could talk to Lauren.

Lauren told Bo she'd be fine, and sat with him on the couch while Bo searched for Kenzi to yell at her for inviting so many strangers who had their hands all over her stuff.

"I owe you an apology" he started with a breath.

"You're only _just _figuring that out?" Lauren couldn't help her tone, she still wasn't over what he said. No matter how much she claimed to be before.

Words hurt.

Dyson deserved the attitude. "Lauren, I'm sorry. I don't think straight, not when it comes to Bo. And I let my emotions get the better of me. What I said to you—it was unfair, and completely out of line. I had no right to try and be Bo's Hero. It's clear that whatever we had is over. She loves _you_, and I need to accept that—fully"

He accepted it before.

But it was more like, he accepted it _for now. _Which was exactly why he told Bo in her Dawning to see how different things would be in a hundred years. By that time, Lauren would be gone and they would've had a second chance. But Bo didn't want that. She'd made up her mind. And with Lauren's new abilities, she'd live on for a hundred years—if not more.

It was time for him to move on.

"That all sounds very convincing" Lauren had a hard time taking his word. "But I just have one question—giving up the Hell Shoe you spent decades hiding? Was that to win points with Bo? Or to make up for what you did to me?"

It was a valid question.

"I've given up on trying to win points" he said. "It never gets me anywhere, if anything it makes me out to be a bigger asshole than I already am. I gave up the shoe to help you. You didn't deserve to be punished for what Taft did. You saved me that day—if not for you, I'd be dead. Giving up the shoe in exchange for your freedom was the least I could do"

Lauren looked at him, he seemed genuine. But how did she know he wouldn't revert back to the jealous ex he was before Bo returned? "I know you love her. And seeing us together, can't be easy for you. It certainly wasn't fun for me"

He didn't understand that.

So she explained. "When you and Bo dated—seeing you together, killed me. I fell for her the moment I laid eyes on her. So, I get how you feel. Though, I'm guessing your Wolf side makes it a lot harder"

He nodded. "It does. Something you'll soon find out, I'm sure" he could see she didn't know what she meant. "Wendigos are part Werewolf. Chances are you've probably already mated with Bo, you just aren't aware because you're still new at this"

"Wouldn't I feel differently?" Lauren asked.

"Not at first. That's why it took me so long to figure it out" he let out a chuckle. "When it does hit you, you'll suddenly feel like you can't be without her. She'll become your whole world" that was the best way he could describe it.

Suddenly, Lauren smelt Bo's scent returning. She was probably coming to see if they'd killed each other. "She already is" she mumbled to herself.

Bo jumped off the bottom step of the stairs, seeing her ex and her Girlfriend chatting. There was no blood, so that was a good sign. It meant they hadn't let their animal claws do the talking. "Everything good here?" She came to sit beside Lauren.

"Everything's great" Lauren smiled at her. "Dyson and I have buried the hatchet. Haven't we?" She hadn't given him an answer until now, which was why he looked shocked.

Dyson smiled back. "We have" And he was glad too. All this fighting, made him seem like a douche. And he was trying to be a better person. Bo wasn't meant to be his love. Maybe someone would come along later, if not then that was fine too.

"That's great!" Bo was relieved to hear that. And joined them for a civil drink, to toast them for letting bygones be.

As the night went on, the party goers all left one by one. Starting with the young guy and girl who continued to block the exit with their make out session. Choga was thrown out by Bruce because he kept asking everyone to lick his arm.

Gross.

Vex had passed out on the kitchen floor snuggling a bottle of Meade closely.

Kenzi and Hale had tried so hard to have their perfect _first night_ as a couple now that they were more than friends, and decided to vacate the house and go back to Hale's place where they could be alone in peace and quiet.

And Dyson had decided to call it a night, with Trick who was way over the limit and even had to lift him out of the bathtub.

That left Bo and Lauren, somewhat alone—and starting their Christmas with a bang in the bedroom. "Tell me this wasn't on your Christmas list" she mumbled in between kissed. "Because it sure as hell was at the top of mine"

As great as this felt, Lauren still had something to tell Bo. "Can we talk for a second?" She pulled away with a shy smile. "We're starting fresh now, and if there's one thing I've learned from past mistakes it's that secrets don't do any good"

Bo was scared all of a sudden, what secret was she keeping? "Understatement, but go on"

Lauren jumped off the bed, and went to the end of the room. She snuck it in while Bo was napping and threw her jacket over it so she wouldn't notice.

But it was time now.

She walked back over to her holding a wooden box, and sat it on the bed. "This was delivered to the Dark Archives this morning" she pushed it towards her. "It's addressed to you, in _your_ handwriting" she knew it when she saw it this morning.

Bo looked at the lid, her name was written how she would write it normally. What the hell? "Just like the note in my knife that told me about Ianka" this was getting freaky. "Have you opened it?"

"No" Lauren shook her head. "It's not mine to open. Honestly, I'm terrified to think about what's inside. What if something happens to you?" She debated whether or not to tell her at all. But what kind of Girlfriend would she be if she hid a vital clue from her? "What if you're taken away again?"

"Hey?" Bo got up and hugged her. "Don't worry about that. Look, for all we know it's nothing. Maybe another cryptic note or letter. Whatever happens, we do this together. Okay?" She held her hand.

Smiling, Lauren gave a nod. "Okay" she watched Bo look at the box, not knowing whether or not she should open it. "No matter what's inside, or where it leads you, I want you to know that I'm here. I support you—whatever you decide"

Bo felt her heart warm upon hearing that. "And that's why I love you" She gave her a kiss. "I want to know what happened to me, and where I was for two months; but not tonight" she picked up the box and shoved it under her bed. "Tonight, I just want to be with you"

This was the first Christmas she'd spent with Lauren, and she wanted it to be special. So there mystery box could wait a day, or even two.

"Merry Christmas Bo" Lauren thought she'd never get the chance to tell her that. Before all this she didn't see them getting back together at all. But they'd proven that their love was worth fighting for.

Bo kissed her again, this time deeper. "And here I thought I was for sure on Santa's naughty list"

"Well, we are Dark now" Lauren's smile curved into a smirk. "I think we pretty much _are _the naughty list" she leaned in again, as they both fell onto the bed in fit of giggles.

Unbeknownst to them, the box under Bo's bed refused to remain dormant. Because inside was a glass jar of the same black smoke that carried Bo from the Dal and over to the other plane where the Death Train resided.

The smoke swirled around the jar, as if it was a living entity. It sought release desperately.

And it would have it.

Soon.

**Next Morning**

Lauren awoke first, hearing a ruckus downstairs. She poked Bo's arm beside her, telling her someone was in the house. It could've been either Bruce or Vex but with how much they both had to drink last night, it was unlikely that they were vertical. Kenzi was with Hale, so that left no one.

Getting dressed, Bo grabbed a dagger from her weapons chest and told Lauren to stay behind her as they descended the stairs. They kept hearing rummaging, as if someone was looking for something. She stepped off the bottom stair, and was surprised and also annoyed at who she saw.

"Tamsin?!" Lauren exclaimed shock.

In a fright, Tamsin dropped the bag of cheese puffs she was holding. That was a new bag too. By the way Lauren was looking at her, she was either in big trouble for leaving, or big trouble for making a mess—either way, it wasn't good.

Lauren marched over to her, "Do you have any idea how worried I've been?! You don't call, you don't let me know if you're okay—I taught you better than that. You have some serious explaining to do young lady!"

Bo found that extremely hot to watch, but also confusing because Tamsin was thousands of years older than herself and Lauren; yet she was being branded as a young lady.

"I know" Tamsin replied. "I'm sorry Lauren. I should've called, but I really needed some time to myself. My memories were taking root, and I had to make sense of them"

"And did you?" Lauren asked.

Tamsin nodded. "Yeah, I'm all good now. I remember all my lives, even one in particular that I blacked out for the longest time"

Bo approached them, putting her dagger on the kitchen island. Vex was not on the floor anymore, he was now on the couch snoring his head off and hugging a pillow which he was drooling on.

Great, now she was going to have to burn that.

"So if you're back to the old you, then why aren't you acting like your usual Dark Fae bitchy self?" She asked.

Lauren didn't think that was fair. "Bo"

Tamsin let her have that one. "It's okay, she's right. I was a bitch back then. As for why I'm not like that now—I can only assume it's because of the way I was raised this time around. Your nurturing has taught me things I never once experienced in all my lives" she smiled at Lauren.

She owed her everything.

"So, what? You're nice now?" Bo asked with a slight frown.

"Seems that way" Tamsin said. "I even let an old lady take my seat on the bus. How's that for nice?" She offered the elderly lady her seat on the bus and she didn't even think twice about having to stand for the remainder of the ride. It felt good to help someone. "Though, I could still kick someone's ass if I had to. I am a Warrior after all"

Live and die by the sword.

That was the Valkyrie way.

Lauren smiled proudly at her. No, Tamsin was not her daughter. And given their awkward history, she was surprised that this task fell on her alone. But she was proud of the person she'd developed into.

"So, I know I bailed and only left you a crappy note as a goodbye. But I'm really sorry for worrying you" Tamsin told Lauren again.

All Lauren could do was hug her, "You are forgiven. Just don't run away like that again. Or I swear—centuries old or not—I _will_ ground you for a month!"

"Deal" Tamsin smiled back.

It made Bo happy to see Lauren smile the way she did when she had moments with Tamsin. She just didn't want Tamsin to come between them like so many others had before. Maybe that was her own issue.

They filled Tamsin in on what she'd missed while she'd been away, and Tamsin could see as she looked around at the mess of the place that a lot had happened. And if there was one thing Tamsin had learned about Lauren in their time together, it's that she hated messes.

"How badly do you want to grab a broom right now?" She asked her.

Lauren groaned painfully, she was holding herself back. "I'm trying this new thing where I don't clean up after everyone. No matter how big and disgusting the mess in question is" it was literally killing her. "And technically, I don't live here anymore so it's not my problem"

"I'll get Bruce to clean up" Bo said. "He's always looking to contribute to the household, considering he's squatting here"

"You're squatting too babe" Lauren reminded her with a hand on her arm.

Bo hadn't forgotten, but this had been her home for four years now and she didn't consider it squatting anymore. Even if Kenzi did.

Being she was the only one with heightened hearing, Lauren could hear her phone ringing from the bedroom. "That's probably the Dark Clinic" she sped off upstairs.

"So, you remember everything huh?" Bo folded her arms and stared at Tamsin. She had a few questions for her. "Like, who hired you to mark me with that Druid potion? You know, the thing that made it possible for me to get smoke-napped"

Tamsin knew this was coming. "Like I said, memories I thought I'd blacked out centuries ago are coming back. A guy hired me to find a girl who couldn't possibly exist. Eyes both brown and blue, virtuous yet lustful, heart both strong and gentle, neither Light nor Dark—and yet both"

She'd recited that a thousand times over the years. Thinking she'd never stumble upon this woman who wasn't supposed to exist. But she did, and her name was Bo.

"Who was he?" Bo asked.

"I don't remember his face or his name" Tamsin saw her laugh in annoyance. "I know it sounds like I'm lying but I swear, I'm not!"

Bo was getting sick of being dicked around. "Then what _do _you remember?"

There was one thing Tamsin knew about her mystery client that still haunted her to this day. "I remember feeling—pain" she closed her eyes, bringing herself back to that memory. "And death. Whoever that _thing_ is, he's bad news"

"Could he be my Father?" Bo dreaded to know the answer.

"He would've done anything to claim his perfect mate" Tamsin said. "Even going so far as creating her himself" it was disgusting, and horrible to think about.

But it was the truth.

Whether Bo wanted to hear about it, or not.

When Lauren returned, fully clothed now that she had to go into work for the morning; she noticed the terrified looks on both Bo's face and Tamsin's face. "What did I miss?"

"I need you to call everyone and tell them to meet us at the Dal" Bo turned to her Girlfriend, she had a plan now. "I can't sit back and do nothing anymore. I need to end this once and for all"

"End what?" Lauren asked, confused.

Bo rubbed her face. "Not knowing what happened to me is driving me insane. I have to know who took me! Who this Rainer guy is, and if he's my Father or not. I sent that box to myself for a reason, so let's find out what that reason is—" she went to walk to the stairs when Lauren pulled her back. "I don't have time to explain right now. Just call everyone, please" she let go of her hand and ran upstairs to change and grab the box.

It was time to get the answers she'd been searching for.

* * *

**A/N: As hard as it's been to rewrite this season, i have actually had a lot of fun doing it. I can only hope that you guys are enjoying reading it as much as i have enjoyed writing it. There is more to come so stay tuned. As always let me know what you thought. **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay, as you all know; Episode 9 was the big reveal of Rainer. And I am keeping that in Chapter 9, except I am revealing him in the way I believe was more plausible given certain factors involved and things we saw in Season 5 that only confirmed things for me. I'll do a quick recap at the end of the chapter. **

**Take a gander, and let me know how I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 9: I Will Remember**

**The Dal**

It had been a long sixty minutes since Bo announced her plan to finally put an end to the madness that had been the last two weeks. Trick clearly didn't want to help her find out who Rainer was, but thanks to her super supportive Girlfriend she now had a big piece of the puzzle.

As everyone gathered around the table, she stood aside with the mysterious box on the bar. She explained that the fear of not knowing where she was was eating away at her. And it had to stop. She was done being afraid, and always looking over her shoulder.

She wasn't a victim

She was the formerly Unaligned—newly joined Dark Fae—Succubus. And damn it, she was a badass.

It was time for the moment of truth, so Bo opened the box and found a jar of the same black smoke that whisked her away from the Dal two months ago.

When Lauren saw it, she immediately kicked herself for giving the box to her in the first place. But if she'd thrown it out, what would that have proven? It was sent in Bo's own writing; meaning she wanted herself to have it. It was just that Lauren was so afraid of losing her again.

"Don't you dare open that!" Trick pointed to his Granddaughter with a stern expression. "Do you want to be taken again?"

Bo frowned at him. "Oh, suddenly you care?" She held the jar in her hands, remaining careful. "I've waited for you to give me some kind of answer as to what the hell happened to me. But every time I bring up Rainer, or the Wanderer—you shut down on me. Why Trick? If you know something, just tell me!"

He was meant to be her family.

If she could trust anyone in this life, it was him. So why wasn't he helping her?

"Bo, I'm begging you—" Trick stood from his seat. "Stop this childishness, and throw that thing away. You're back with your family now. Why can't this be enough?"

Lauren abruptly stood from her own seat, and made her way to stand next to her Girlfriend. "It'll never be enough, not while she feels incomplete because of her erased memories. You shouldn't expect her to let something like this go. If you really loved her, you'd support her decision to peruse this"

Bo turned to her with a smile. She was always in her corner. That was one thing she could always count on with Lauren. "What she said" it was like one mind.

"They're right Trick" Dyson spoke up, he hated to go against the man he swore fealty to, but Trick was wrong on this one. "You should be standing by her and help her face this Wanderer—we all should"

"Thank you!" Bo loved it when everyone agreed with her. It made things so much simpler.

Kenzi shook her head, "Nuh uh! No way hosè!" She used her sticky street fingers to snatch the jar out of Bo's hands and tried to run off with it until Lauren appeared before her in a blur and took it back. "Ugh! That's cheating!"

Lauren took the jar and handed it back to Bo. "Together, right?" She gave her a wink.

If they weren't on the clock, Bo totally would've kissed her. Instead, she lifted the lid of the jar and watched as the smoke escaped into the air until it began to swirl around in front of them. Bo slipped her hand into Lauren's as she placed the jar on the bar.

Trick felt an unbearable pain as the smoke whispered near him, he managed to overcome it long enough to arm himself with a mop that he quickly turned into a weapon.

Dyson had his Wolf, so he was ready.

And Kenzi—well, Kenzi had a fork. But it was very sharp. She could really do some damage if she got close enough.

As the smoke cleared, the group were met with a tall handsome British man by the name of Hugin. He introduced himself as a Fae Crow and claimed his Master was the person who ordered him to bring her to that train.

"I know you, don't I?" Bo had a feeling about him. Like dèja vu. He told her that it was him who took her from the bar two months ago, along with his brother Munin who trapped him in the jar after they delivered her to Rainer. "Why would he do that?"

"He had a thing for my Wife" Hugin replied.

This was all fascinating but it wasn't the reason why Bo set him free. "I need to get back on that train. Where is it now?" He told her he didn't know. "Bullshit!"

Hugin stood with his hands in his pockets. "You know what? Maybe I do, but why in heavens name would I take you there? I've spent my entire miserable existence trying to escape that rust bucket. Unless—" he had an idea. "You help me get revenge on my backstabbing ex-Wife and my wayward brother. Care to barter?"

Bo accepted his deal, anything to get back on that train. "Waiting on you pal" She held out her hand to him.

"I'm going too" Lauren stepped forward only for Bo to stop her. "Are you crazy? Of course I'm going with you"

"Lauren, I don't know what I'm walking into. And the last thing I wanna do is risk your life. Please, stay here" Bo pressed a hand to her cheek. It was too dangerous.

But that didn't matter. "Where you go, I go. I spent two months not knowing if you were okay, and it turned out you'd been abducted. There's no way in hell I'm letting you go again. I'm going with you" Lauren said. "End of discussion"

Hot damn.

Bo couldn't help it, she pulled her in for a heated kiss. "God I love you!" She really admired that speech. "Let's go then" she took her hand with her right and linked her left arm with Hugin's. "Up up and away"

"Toodles!" Hugin waved goodbye to everyone as he used his powers to vanish in a cloud of smoke along with Bo and Lauren.

Tamsin walked in as it cleared, not knowing why Kenzi, Trick and Dyson looked like someone had given them atomic wedgies. "What did I miss?" She asked. The three of them remained silent. "Where're Bo and Lauren?"

"They took the Crow express" Kenzi said. "Probably won't be back any time soon. Have a drink while you wait. I know I am!" She walked to the bar.

This whole ordeal called for Trick's best top shelf stuff.

**Fae Graveyard **

When Bo and Lauren reappeared, they found themselves in a Graveyard, surrounded by more crows like Hugin. He exchanged pleasantries with his brother Munin and his Wife, before things took a turn and they now found themselves outnumbered.

Hugin quickly showed his true colours as he stepped over to his brother's side.

It turned out, they had no intention of going back to that train. They're duty to their Master was rendered null when they delivered her to Rainer. And they would rather die than go back on his train.

So, Bo had no choice but to take these crows on with the help of her newly turned Wendigo Girlfriend. "Aww, this'll be our first battle as a couple" she found that cute. "Now would be a good time to let the beast out babe" she knew Lauren had been holding it down for weeks.

And what better time to let it loose when they had people who needed killing?

It didn't take much for Lauren to tap into her inner animal. Just the desire to protect her own life, and that of her Girlfriend. Her eyes flashed yellow, as she slashed her claws across a Crow's chest before she kicked him down.

Jesus that felt good.

Bo kicked another Crow who tried to grab her, and as he fell onto a freshly dug grave he fell through the dirt and vanished. "What the hell was that?!"

"Did we forget to mention that if you set foot on a grave you'll be struck down and transported to Irkalla?" Munin tutted. "We probably should've been more up front with ya. Never mind, the Leviathan is always hungry for a meal. How about we make you her next one?" He caught her off guard and pushed her forcefully.

Lauren was fast getting to her, but just not fast enough. She lost grip of Bo's hand as her Girlfriend fell onto a grave bed and was instantly sucked into the earth. "NO!" She stopped herself from falling through.

"Look brother" Hugin laughed as the eight crows that were left, surrounded her. "We missed one. Now, what're we going to do with you blondie?"

She turned around, yellow eyes blazing, fangs showing and snarling angrily. They just made a big mistake.

"I didn't see that coming" Munin saw her slash someone with claws, but he didn't know she was a Wendigo. He'd know those fangs anywhere.

**Irkalla**

Bo fell right onto her ass, in a pile of bones that were sharp enough to cut her leg. She got up and dusted herself off. When she was suddenly met with a pale woman wearing a headscarf and holding a weird looking staff.

"The Leviathan, I presume?" She remembered what Munin said. "I don't have time for this Levi, so how about you send me back up there and I can get on with my day?"

Levi laughed, "Silly girl, no one ever leaves this place. Once you're in Irkalla, there is no way out. Well, not without paying a price anyway"

Suddenly, the handprint on Bo's chest began to shine. And Levi noticed it. She never thought she'd see that mark again. "That mark?" She pointed at her. "Give it to me! I've waited eons for that mark. It was meant to be mine!" She went to grab her but Bo pushed her away.

"Hands off!" Bo backed away from her. "And as for this hand hickey, it would be my pleasure to pass it on to you but unfortunately, the thing doesn't wanna come off. So, sucks for both of us" if there was a handprint removal cream or something she would've used it ages ago.

But right now, she had more important things to worry about. Like the fact that she was stuck down here and Lauren was up there with the rest of the crows. "Please, just send me back. I'll give you anything you want"

"A game then?" Levi suggested. "It's been a long time since anyone has bested me in a battle of riddles. How do you fancy your chances, Succubus?"

Ugh, riddles.

The one thing Bo hated. "Let's just get started shall we? I win, you send me back up—"

"And if you lose, I'll devour your soul. Seems fair to me" Levi smirked. A Succubus of her stature would make a fine meal. "I am as black as night and as bright as day, as cold as March and as warm as May. What am I?"

Bo walked around the cave, and in a puddle below her she noticed the white mask of fog reflect on the water. How did that happen? It was as if she had help. "Fog" she answered. "You're fog, right?" She got excited about getting it right.

But Levi still had some tricks up her sleeve. "Don't get too happy Princess, it's your turn"

"Don't call me that!" Bo didn't care for the title. Riddles weren't her thing, but she had to pick someone she already knew the answer to. And she had just the thing. "Okay, I've got one" she stepped forward with her arms folded.

"Well don't stand on ceremony" Levi told her to hurry up.

Bo thought about how to word it in her head. "She's brilliant, he's strong. Both loves are pure, both loves are true. If you were I, who would you choose?" Of course, she'd already chosen.

But Levi didn't know that.

"Choose?" Levi frowned. "Why must a choice be made at all? You're a Succubus, why not have them both?" Bo refused to answer her question, it was _her _turn to answer the riddle. "The man, his strength serves you well"

Bo figured she'd choose Dyson. "Is that your final answer?"

Levi stood awkwardly, and immediately took back her answer. "No!" She changed her mind. "The woman! Yes, you love her very much. She offers you more than just strength"

"So, we're going with the woman then? You sure about that?" Bo asked with a slight frown, making it seem like it was the wrong answer. This was fun after all.

Changing her answer again, Levi waved a hand. She needed another couple of seconds to think. And she'd finally cracked it. "It's the Man! It has to be. That is my final answer!"

It gave Bo so much pleasure to shake her head with a smile on her face as Levi realised she was wrong. "Too bad, so sad. Now send me back up!"

"It was the woman?" Levi didn't see that coming.

Bo smiled, thinking of Lauren. "It was always the woman" Dyson may have had Fae strength, but Lauren's love gave her that and more. "And I have to get back to her, so if you don't mind—" she pointed upward.

"Oh by all means, go back to your beloved" Levi used her staff to take steps towards her. "Spend as much time with her as you can—with all of your loved ones, in fact. Before it's too late" she began laughing.

That wasn't the victory Bo was expecting. "Too late? Why? What's happening?"

Levi smirked. "Nothing, _yet_" she raised her hand towards Bo. "But very soon, someone you love dearly will die. I will be seeing you again, Princess" she used her power to send Bo pack up to the graveyard.

She'd be back.

**Fae Graveyard**

When Bo materialised, she adjusted her eyes to the brightness of the sun after being stuck down in that dark cave. She heard screaming coming from her right, and a lot of roaring. "Lauren" she ran and followed the noises. Only to find her Girlfriend clawing up one of the crows.

Hugin and Munin were frozen in terror as they watched the brutality.

Bo looked around, there were mutilated bodies scattered everywhere. It was the Wendigo.

When Bo got sucked down to Irkalla, Lauren must've lost control out of fear. "Lauren?" She saw her stop what she was doing, and turn around slowly to reveal her sharp fangs. "You're okay. Remember what we talked about?"

She approached her calmly. "_You_ are in control, not the animal. You can do this babe" she closed the distance between them. She pressed a hand to her blood covered cheek, using her own powers to calm her further. "Come back"

The surge of energy helped Lauren find herself again, as she pushed the animal down. Her fangs retracted, and her eyes shifted back to their normal brown. "I thought you were gone" she whimpered.

"I'm sorry" Bo hugged her, she had no idea this would happen. "I'm back. Everything's okay" she would've kissed her but Lauren had blood splattered all over her face. So she turned around and saw Hugin and Munin still trembling. "And then there were two"

Hugin offered a deal. "We'll take you to the train, in exchange for sparing us from your beastly Girlfriend" they didn't want to die like the rest of their brethren. "Also, we will not be staying there. We drop you off, and that's it"

Bo didn't have much of a choice. "Deal, let's go" She turned to Lauren. "But not you" she couldn't risk her again. It was dangerous enough. She worried what the crows would do to her while she was in Irkalla but clearly she was worried for nothing.

"I'm not letting you go alone" Lauren said as she wiped the blood from her face.

"Listen to me" Bo took her hands. "The support you've given me since I got back, has been so great. But this is something I have to do by myself. Whoever this Wanderer is—I don't want him hurting you. You have to stay here" She leaned in, and kissed her forehead. "I love you"

Lauren held onto her. Clearly, Bo needed to do this alone. And as the supportive Girlfriend she was, Lauren had to let her. "I love you" she whispered back.

Bo painfully pulled away from her, letting go of her hand. She promised she'd come back. She stepped backwards, and took both Munin and Hugin's arms. "Fly!" She ordered them.

They vanished in a puff of black smoke.

Leaving Lauren standing alone in the cold graveyard. She was still processing what she'd done to those crows. Not that they didn't deserve it, because they did. But the carnage she just inflicted, all because she let the Wendigo control her.

She'd need to work on it.

But right now, she had to wait for Bo. And she could do that back at the Dal. Where maybe she could clean herself up.

**The Dal – Later**

Three hours.

That's how long they'd all been waiting.

When Lauren got back from the graveyard, she saw Dyson standing at the bar with Kenzi. Tamsin was on a couch, laying down after an eventful few hours with Kenzi. They tried writing in Trick's book with his blood, and it had some kind of weird effect on Tamsin.

Without waking her up, Lauren couldn't tell if she was okay. But she was sleeping soundly so there was that. Dyson asked her why he smelt blood all over her. So she told him a few crows picked a fight. It didn't end well for them.

He was surprised she went that far, not because of her strength but because she was a Doctor. And they usually helped fix damage, not inflict it.

Trick ran into the room, he was out of breath. "Call everyone! We need to get Bo back now!" They asked him what was wrong. "I know who The Wanderer is. His name is Rainer, and he's my mortal enemy"

"Enemy?" Kenzi shrieked. Why couldn't they have easy lives? "How evil are we talking? Like, _Garuda_ evil?"

"Worse" Trick replied.

Suddenly, Bo entered the bar with a smile. She was so glad to have everything in her head finally make sense. She went straight for Lauren and gave her a hug. "Told you I'd be back"

"Are you okay?" Lauren noticed she was different. "Did Rainer hurt you?" She began checking her for injuries.

Bo shook her head. "No, he'd never hurt me" she stepped back, facing them all. "Before today, everything in my mind was one massive puzzle. But now the pieces have finally locked into place. I know now, why I joined the Dark. It was actually my idea"

"Why would you do that?" Dyson asked. That didn't sound like the Unaligned Succubus they all knew and loved.

"So I'd do everything in my power to get back on that train—to Rainer. So I could break his curse" Bo turned her head, and watched Rainer enter the bar. "He's not my enemy, and he is definitely not my Father" she gave him a smile, before facing her family again. "He's my brother"

Huh?

Kenzi frowned. "Brother?" Her head began to hurt. "If he's your brother, then why did he smoke-nap you?"

"He didn't" Bo said. "Someone hired Tamsin to mark me with the Druid potion. The same Master that Hugin mentioned earlier. He and his brother took me to the train. They've done that job for centuries. The point is, Rainer isn't an enemy. He's family"

Rainer addressed them. "Bo's told me so much already, I feel like I know you all" he glanced at Trick, someone he already had the pleasure of meeting. "Some I know a little too well. Isn't that right, your Majesty?"

Trick approached them. He couldn't believe this. "Get away from my Granddaughter" he warned him. "How can you take his word? I thought you were smarter than this" he looked at her with disapproval.

"We share the same mark Trick" Bo told them about the handprint she had on her chest. Something she'd only told Lauren. "And when I'm with him, I feel it. The bond of a sibling. So you can imagine how devastated I was when I found out that my Grandfather cursed my only brother to eternity on a death train. Why?"

"He knows why" Trick glared at him.

Lauren stepped in, "Okay, you know what? It's been a long day. I think we all need to take a minute to process everything"

Trick shook his head. "I don't need to process anything. He is a liar, a manipulator, and a fiend. I want him out of my bar! Now!" He pointed to the door.

"If he goes, then so do I" Bo said.

Kenzi and Dyson just watched as Bo and Trick squared off with each other. This was something they'd never seen before. Something they never thought they'd see in a million years.

"There's the door" Trick pointed at it behind her.

Lauren could see he was upset, and so was Bo. "Bo?" She took her hand, holding it tight. "Let's go. Come on. We can figure the rest out tomorrow" she turned to Kenzi and asked her if she could take Tamsin back to her apartment. Kenzi was happy to help.

Anything to get out of this tense moment.

Bo followed Lauren out and brought Rainer with her. Clearly her Grandfather wasn't on her side. She couldn't believe he kicked her out of the bar. He was meant to be her family. Luckily, she wasn't short in that department anymore.

She went on this quest to find her missing memories.

And instead found a brother. And if Trick really was responsible for cursing him, how could she forgive that?

**Clubhouse – Later**

Of all the things Rainer had yet to experience, he was most fascinated by the automobile Bo drove them home in. He'd only been on one mode of transportation, and that was the Death Train he was cursed to die on. Other than that, he'd only ever ridden horses. He was from a far away time.

This was all new to him.

They got to the house, which was vacant thanks to Kenzi staying over Lauren's place with Tamsin. It was just easier if there were less people around. Bo wanted to properly introduce Lauren to her new brother.

She'd talked about her on the train months ago—something she only now remembered doing. But it was a different thing to meet her in person. She told her brother that if it weren't for Lauren's undying love and never ending support, she wouldn't have found a way back onto that train.

It was late.

And although all he'd been doing for the last thousand years was laying around waiting for his untimely death; he was exhausted by the day's events.

So Bo made up the couch for him and told him if he needed anything to not hesitate to call her. With that, she went to her own bedroom with Lauren at her side.

"So" Lauren had to break the silence. "A brother? Gotta say, that's the last thing I was expecting"

"What _were _you expecting?" Bo asked.

Lauren gave a small shrug. "A tall handsome stranger swooping in to take you away" she saw Bo's face. "I know, it's ridiculous. Maybe if we were on a network drama"

Bo could see why she'd think that. "Well if we were, then that's just terrible writing" even if Rainer had turned out to be a suitor rather than a sibling—why should she immediately fall in love with a stranger and drop her family for him?

It made no sense.

"I know this's a lot" She approached her Girlfriend after shaking off her jacket. "But at least now it's all over. I finally have my memories back. And I was glad to find out I wasn't crazy"

Lauren tutted. "No one thought you were crazy"

"Regardless, it's over now" Bo wrapped both arms around her waist. "We can move on, and finally live our lives. Together" she leaned in to kiss her gently.

It was well received.

But there were a few things Lauren was curious about. "So uh, since you have your memories back—feel like sharing? I told you all about my horrible adventures as a wanted fugitive. Now it's your turn"

"Okay" Bo sat in the edge of the bed with her. "What do you wanna know?"

"Start from the beginning" Lauren said. "When you first stepped onto that train"

This was going to take some time. So Bo went through the memories in her brain. It all began when Hugin and Munin smoke-napped her from the Dal.

So she started there.

* * *

**A/N: Given the fact that Jack mentioned in Season 5 that his handprint was only made permanent on his own children, I think it's safe to say that Rainer was in fact Bo's half brother. I don't know what it is with the Greek Gods and incest, but none of that is happening here. **

**Bo was so brainwashed in Season 4 and the choices she made were just so uncharacteristic for her. Dumping her friends—people who sacrificed things for her—for someone she'd known for a month? That was a load of bullshit. **

**Also, I took a line out of the riddle Bo gave the Leviathan because Lauren is now Fae in this story so her life is no longer little. When Bo shook her head in the show after Levi answered **_**the Man**_**, I honestly thought that was it—she'd finally admitted that she'd chosen Lauren. **

**But no, the writers had to go and make her say "There is no right answer". Of course there's a right answer! **

**Whoa. Okay, hateful writer moment over. **

**As always, let me know how I did. And there's still more changes to come. I might even rewrite Season 5 after this, because although it wasn't nearly as bad as Season 4 there were still things I could've done without seeing. **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Right, this one was actually really hard to make up. Mostly because I had nothing to go on from painfully watching the episode back. Everything in Bo's flashback scenes did not make sense. And that Butterfly scene? What in God's name was that about? The first time we heard that was in Season 3. But it wasn't made a big deal of. **

**I feel like they just threw stuff into this Season and it didn't end well for it at all. **

**This entire chapter is Bo's flashback to when she was on the train. I've taken out the mermaid mission, I didn't feel like it was needed after the way this story has gone.**

* * *

**Chapter 10: All Aboard**

**Death Train – 2 Months Ago**

_How did this happen? _

_One minute, Bo was in the Dal and now she found herself on a beat-up old train. She tried the windows, but none of them opened. It was like they were glued shut. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching. "Who's there?" _

_A skinny man burst out of the door at the end of the carriage. He looked like a bell hop. "Next stop same as the last. Last stop, same before next. Get your tickets ready please!" _

"_Hey? Can you tell me how to get off this train?" She didn't get an answer out of him. He just repeated the same thing and then ran off in the other direction. "Crazy bastard" She couldn't believe he just ran off. _

_She wandered off further down the carriage, and found another door. It took a while for it to budge but she managed to get it open. And when she got through, she saw a guy messing around with a record player. "Let me guess—crazy ticket guy number two?" _

_Rainer turned around, and noticed something he'd seen every other time those two crows had left a woman on his train. "Another brunette" he let out a laugh. "Does the universe have a thing against blondes?" _

_He didn't know why strange women were brought here; it wasn't so he could court them. He was above romantic entanglements. They never served a purpose in a war. And that's all he'd known since he was young. _

"_Who are you?" Bo asked. "Why did you bring me here?" _

_He looked at her. "_I_ didn't. Those stupid crows did" he really wanted to kill them, but he was unable to. They never stuck around long enough for him to get his hands on them. _

"_Crows?" Bo didn't remember seeing any black feathered birds on her way in. "Look, just tell me how to get off this rust bucket! I have a family to get back to" _

_Rainer hadn't heard that word in a long time. "I had a family once too" he told her, drifting off into space. "Not that I can remember them. I was taken from them centuries ago. Cursed to be confined to this train until I die" _

"_For your sins maybe?" Bo wondered. "Whoever cursed you must've gotten tired of your attitude. I know it's definitely pissing _me _off" no wonder he'd been cursed. _

_He took steps towards her, and as he did her eyes shined blue. He never thought he'd see another Succubus again. "A Succubus. Why am I not surprised?" He chuckled dryly. "How are the Dark Fae these days?" _

_Bo shifted her eyes back. Of course, he'd think she was Dark. "I wouldn't know. See, I'm Unaligned. The Morrigan's Clan doesn't concern me" he showed shock on his face. _

"_What did you just say?" He frowned at her. _

"_Did I stutter?" Bo couldn't have said it any clearer. "I'm Unaligned. You know, free? As in no side, no clan, no Elders to suck up to. What exactly are you having trouble understanding?" _

_He didn't think this was possible. "I thought I was the only one" _

_Bo wondered what he meant. "Only one, what?" _

"_Only one to remain Unaligned" he replied. _

_Huh. _

_That was a curve ball. _

_Bo was under the impression she was the first person to ever remain Unaligned. That's what everyone always told her. "What's your name?" _

"_What's yours?" He turned it around on her. _

"_I asked you first" Bo wasn't being pushed around. She was asking the questions here. This may not have been her turf, but she wasn't going to let her guard down. She needed information. _

_He didn't know why, but he felt like he could trust her. She was the first person in a thousand years to have this effect on him. "Rainer" he extended his hand. "My name is Rainer"_

_Bo didn't want to shake his hand, but he seemed friendly enough. It was weird. She couldn't sense anything malicious coming from him, or any kind of evil aura. "Bo" She held his hand, and as she did both of them took a sharp breath in. _

_A glowing handprint began to shine through their shirts, just over their chests. This was the first time Bo was seeing this, but for Rainer it was nothing new. _

"_That's impossible" he mumbled, letting go of her hand. _

_As she stepped back, the mark faded. Bo noticed it only happened because she touched him. "What the hell did you do to me?!" _

"_I didn't do anything, I swear" Rainer held his hands up innocently. "You've never seen that mark before?" _

_She shook her head. "No, why? Have you?" He seemed like he had. _

_Rainer nodded. "My Father put it there. At least, that's what my Mother told me before she died. I don't understand why you have it too. Unless—" what he was thinking was outrageous. "Who is your Father?" _

"_I've never met my Father" Bo said. "You're not thinking—" she couldn't even finish her sentence. It was too crazy. "We can't be—"_

"_Siblings?" Rainer wondered the same thing. "Stranger things have happened. But you're right, there's no way to know for sure. Not without proof. Here" he poured her a glass of whiskey. "You need this more than I do" _

_Bo sipped it, it was strong. "Thanks" she took a seat on a worn-out chair. "How long have you been on this train?" _

"_I lost count after the first ten centuries" He answered. "This place is meant to be my end, but here I am. Still alive. Still cursed to endure this painful existence. I guess this'll teach me for trying to be the hero" he chuckled as he finished his drink. _

_Then went to pour another. _

_He explained to Bo that he was once a fearless warrior, and he fought to stop a corrupt King from rewriting their history. But the King found out about his plan and cursed him to live on this train until it led him to his inevitable death. _

_A corrupt King who wanted to rewrite the history of the Fae? _

_That all sounded a little too familiar to Bo. _

"_Are you talking about the Blood King?" She asked. Seeing the reaction on his face gave her the answer she expected. _

"_You've heard of him?" Rainer asked. _

_This was the kicker. _

"_I've more than heard of him" she placed her glass on the side table beside her. "He's my Grandfather" his face went blank. He obviously didn't expect to hear that. "Trick couldn't have been the one who cursed you. That's not who he is" _

_Rainer turned angry. "And how would you know?" He stood before her. "Were you there? Did you see the slaughter—the chaos? He forced people to choose a side and when they refused, he had them executed!"_

"You're_ Unaligned. How come he didn't kill you?" Bo asked. _

"_It wasn't from lack of trying, I can tell you that" Rainer explained that he had the gift of Foresight. He could see things before they happened. Trick was never able to get the drop on him, so he cursed him instead. "This's my punishment for defying him" _

_Bo couldn't imagine Trick being so cruel. "You're lying!" She got up from her seat. "He'd never do that" _

"_Maybe not to you" Rainer said. "You're his family, he'd never hurt you. But others? Others he wouldn't hesitate to hurt. Especially those who get in his way. How can you be sure who he really is, if you've only seen one side of him?" _

_She wasn't listening to this anymore. "Screw you!" Bo left the carriage and tried to run to any exit. But they were all locked, until she came to a bedroom of some kind. She saw a rusted crown on the dresser. As she picked it up, she saw the name that was engraved on it. _

_Ysabeau. _

_Why did this crown have her name on it? _

_Why was she brought here? _

_And was that guy really her brother?_

_A few hours passed and Bo grew hungry, she really needed something to eat. So she wondered out of the bedroom she found and saw Rainer sitting at a table which had a marvellous spread of eats. _

"_I thought you were sulking" He spoke from his seat. _

_Bo took a seat far away from him. "A girl's gotta eat" she began making herself a plate. "This doesn't mean I want to stick around though. I'll be getting off at the next stop" _

"_Next stop isn't for another two months" Rainer said. "This thing may feel like it's going a million miles an hour. But really, it's moving incredibly slow. That's part of the punishment" the train was a fickle thing. _

"_I'm stuck here for two months?" Bo wanted to scream. But it wouldn't help her situation. "What the hell am I supposed to do until then?" _

_Rainer shrugged. "Relax? Relish in some alone time maybe?" He cut into his meat, there was something missing here. "I really wish there was sauce for this!" He called to his handmaiden. _

"_I don't need any alone time" Bo told him. "I have a family that needs me. A Girlfriend who's missing—probably kidnapped—I need to get off this train so I can find her" _

_Ever since what happened at Taft's, Bo hadn't been able to get Lauren out of her head. Why did she say all those things about loving her in the past tense? Were they true? Had all the shit she put her through after the Dawning, and Dyson finally pushed her too far away? Had she lost her?_

"_Girlfriend?" Rainer was surprised to hear that. "Aren't you a Succubus though? Being in a relationship with only one person isn't something your kind usually does" _

"_I'm not defined by my species" Bo replied. "What about you?" She was sick of having all the questions turned on her. "Anyone waiting for you?" _

_Rainer could barely remember anymore. He'd been stuck on this train for too long. He couldn't remember anything besides Trick, and his hatred for him. "No" _

"_Sounds lonely" she could feel his pain. _

_He cleared his throat, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Handmaiden?!" He called for her. She appeared and asked him what he wanted. "Another bottle of single malt, and maybe some sort of sauce for this" he tapped his plate. _

_It was dry without anything. _

_The Handmaiden turned to Bo. "Anything for you?" _

"_No, thank you" Bo wasn't one for being waited on. She watched her leave. "So this's what you do every day? Boss around your maid and complain about a lack of condiments?" It was laughable. "Why haven't you tried getting off this train?" _

_Rainer chuckled. "That's cute" like he hadn't tried that. "It's pointless to try escaping. The train has been falling apart one piece at a time, and centuries ago I dedicated hours fixing damages. Trying to keep the old gal from dying on me, but now—" he finished what was left of his scotch. "I welcome the peace of death. At least then I'd be free" _

_That was so sad. _

_Bo didn't know why, but she felt a sense of obligation towards this stranger. Did that mean they were connected? Maybe he really was her brother. "Let's say I believe you, and Trick really is the villain of your story" she rested her elbows on the table. "I still don't understand why _I'm_ here, or why we share that weird hand hickey" _

"_Like I said, I have no idea why you're here" Rainer said. "Those crows have been bringing women here for centuries. They were nice enough, but none of them shared my mark" _

"_So what does that make me?" Bo asked. _

_Rainer shrugged. "Special?" He wasn't sure. "Dangerous? I haven't worked it out yet" _

"_Can't you use your special psychic powers?" Bo sat back with her arms folded. _

_He chuckled at her words. "Part of my curse, is that I'm forced to live without my power" it still saddened him. "I barely remember what it feels like anymore" _

"_What did you do to Trick to make him curse you?" Bo knew Trick well enough by now, to know that he always had a good decision for doing the things he did. _

"_I fought back" Rainer answered. "Against a repressed dictatorship. You might not want to hear it, but your Grandfather was a merciless Tyrant. He believed he was a God amongst Fae, and when he tried to force us to change; I decided to challenge him" he looked around at the shaking carriage. "For all the good it did me" _

_Bo couldn't get her head around this. Trick was the sweetest guy ever. He'd never been anything but kind to her. But was that because of who she was to him? If she was a stranger, would he treat her differently? _

"_For what it's worth, I'm sorry" she reached over and poured herself some wine. "I'm not much for following rules either. I get the whole 'rebel with a cause' thing. I've challenged my fair share of dictators too" she saw a kindred in him. _

_It was weird. _

_But oddly comforting. _

"_But the Trick you know—the corrupt King? He's not that person anymore. He's the sweetest guy you'd ever meet. He goes out of his way to help people, friends, family—even strangers. He's a compassionate man" Bo defended her Grandfather's honour. _

_She had to. _

_But Rainer wasn't changing his perception. He knew Trick. Better than Bo did because he was around to see him in his reign. "It's noble of you to fight for him. He's your blood, I get it" he let out a sigh. "But that's not compassion you see" he said. "That's guilt"_

"_For what?" She asked. _

"_For all the atrocious acts he committed during his reign" Rainer replied. "You say he's changed, and maybe on some lever he has" he remembered every horrible thing Trick did. "But Monsters don't change Bo. And that's who he is to me—who he'll always be" he got up and began walking towards the door. _

_He snagged the bottle of scotch from the Handmaiden on his way out. _

_Which left her there, carrying a gravy boat of sauce. She just placed it on the table. _

"_Is he always like that?" Bo asked. _

"_Actually, he rarely speaks at all anymore" The Handmaiden began cleaning up. "All he does is drink, and play his infernal piano. Being stuck here awaiting your death isn't much fun" _

_Bo understood that. "This handprint we share?" She needed a second opinion. "What does it mean?" _

_The Handmaiden had never been asked that before. Rainer never asked her anything about his mark. He thought he already knew all there was to know about it. "That's the mark of an ancient being" _

"_You've seen it before?" Bo should've talked to her first and not Rainer. She was finally getting somewhere. _

_The Handmaiden nodded. "I believe it's a kind of birthmark. Both you and Rainer would've been born with it. Meaning you inherited it by a Parent" _

_Was that proof enough? _

"_Does that mean he really is my brother?" Bo asked. _

"_If you are truly connected by that mark, then I would say so—yes" she wished she had a better answer for her. "May I offer a few words of advice?" _

_Bo gave a nod. "Sure" She was desperate so why not?_

_The Handmaiden sat beside her. "Rainer is a stubborn man. But I believe his intentions are pure. Perhaps you should get to know him in the little time you have with us. What do you have to lose?" She smiled at her as she got up and took the dirty plates with her. _

_What did she have to lose? _

_Good question. _

_She got up from her seat and went in the direction Rainer took. She came to another carriage, and saw him sitting at a piano. He was playing a sad tune, but it was also beautiful to hear. _

_He sensed her behind him. "Do you play?" _

_That made her giggle. "Me? God no! I'm tone deaf—can't even dance. Only when no one watches" she'd done that a few times, in the dark, with all doors and windows closed shut. _

"_You know, you don't have to talk to me" He said. "I think it's more than possible for us to stay away from each other until the next stop. Then you can go home, and you'll forget all this" _

"_Forget?" Bo frowned. "How?" _

_Rainer explained it quickly. "The Handmaiden is bound to protect the secret of this Train's existence. She'll wipe your memory before we get to the next stop. So when you go back, you'll forget all about me and you'll move on with your life" _

"_While you're still trapped here?" Bo took steps towards him. "That doesn't seem fair to me" _

"_Nothing in life is fair" Rainer replied sadly. _

_Bo felt so bad for him. He didn't seem like he deserved to be here at all. "What if I helped you break this curse?" She raised both eyebrows. "I _am_ the Blood King's Granddaughter. Maybe that's the key to breaking it" _

_He appreciated that. "Maybe, but it's gonna take more than two months to figure it out. Look, being confined to this train is _my_ fate. I don't want it to be yours too. So please, just hide out until it's time for you to go. I'm sparing you, trust me" _

_Wow. _

_That was so noble. _

"_No" she said. _

_He looked at her with a frown. "No, what?" _

"_No, I'm not letting you push me away. Not when I can help. I'm not saying I believe you're my brother, but the marks don't lie. I have spent my entire life searching for family, and now I find out I sort of have a brother and my Grandfather cursed him. I can't let you stay here Rainer" she wasn't allowing it. _

_Rainer closed the lid of the piano, "You don't know me" he stood in front of her. "For all you know, I could be pure evil" sometimes he wondered if he was. Being he couldn't remember much about his former life. _

"_I don't sense evil coming from you" Bo told him. "I sense something familiar, and I feel the need to help you. So, how about you let me?" _

"_Well, you are stubborn" Rainer smiled. "Glad to see I'm not the only one to inherit that trait. You feel familiar to me too. I can't explain it" _

_Bo couldn't believe she was just accepting this, but her feelings couldn't be any clearer. "Well, we've got two months to figure it out. I'm gonna get you off this train, I promise" _

**Six Weeks Later**

_In the weeks since she arrived, Bo had spent a lot of time getting to know her long lost brother. And the more she got to know him, the more she could see the similarities between them. _

_Rainer could only recall a handful of memories from before he was cursed. He was a Warrior, he fought for justice and helped those who couldn't help themselves. _

_Just like she did. _

_They both had never met their Father, and that couldn't be a coincidence. They wondered if they had any other family members running around out there. _

_But they had bigger matters to deal with. It was only two weeks until the next stop came around and then Bo would have to leave so she could get their plan in motion. _

_Only, they were hitting a ton of snags. _

_No matter how many plans they came up with for Bo to get back on the train once she left, none of them stood a chance of working due to one problem. "This's pointless Bo" he said. "The Handmaiden will wipe your memory before you leave. You won't remember me" he told her that he was unable to order the Handmaiden to let Bo remember; she was bound by some other Master's wishes. _

"_What if I force myself to find you?" She had an idea. But it meant giving up everything she ever stood for. "I know of one sure-fire way to get back on this train. And that's if I sign away my freedom" _

_He shook his head, "No, I can't let you do that" it wasn't a choice. "I can't be the reason you lose your freedom. Being Unaligned is what you're meant to be" _

_She stopped him from talking. "Just, hear me out. I don't like the idea of this any more than you do. But if I pledge fealty to a side, and can't remember _why_—I will stop at nothing to undo it" _

"_The only way that can happen is if your witness vouches that you weren't of sound mind" Rainer knew how it worked. "You don't look crazy to me" _

"_Crazy enough to take this risk" Bo held his hand. "Rainer, you're my brother. I can't let you die on this train. You don't deserve to be here. So—" she picked up drawn up contract for the Dark Fae, the Handmaiden was quite an artist. "Will you be my witness?" _

_Rainer looked it over. "Why not choose the Light?" He had to wonder. _

_Bo thought about it, but she hated the Light Fae more than the Dark. They were the reason Lauren had been branded as a slave for nearly a decade. She'd never join them in a million years, not even for this little scheme. _

"_Crazy plan or not—I'd never sign my life away to those assholes" she spoke with anger. "They're the reason my Girlfriend felt the need to runaway. Now she's missing" she turned sad. "I just hope to god she's okay" _

_Rainer held her hand to comfort her. "So do I" He loved hearing about his sister's relationship. She seemed like she was really in love with this Human. "And I can't wait to meet her" _

"_You'll love her" Bo smiled. She had no doubt that Rainer and Lauren would get a long. "And when we get back, she'll run our DNA so we can finally stop going off of feelings. Science is exact, as she would say" she always heard her say that. _

"_She must be very smart to be able to pull that off" Rainer was impressed. "Well, I'm up for it. We both need proof" _

"_Exactly. So, witness? Yay or nay?" She signed her name on the sheet, and then gave it to him to do the same. _

_He scribbled his signature on the black line. "I hope you know what you're doing" he didn't want to be the reason she was stuck in a Dark Fae clan. _

"_This's gonna work" Bo was confident. "I know it will" _

**Clubhouse – Present**

"After that, I jumped from the train and then I landed in the forest in the worst get up ever. Then I ran into you" Bo finished telling the tale.

Lauren was astounded. "So, you really believe he's your brother huh?"

Bo nodded. "I do" she knew Lauren wouldn't believe it unless she saw proof. "And if it makes you feel any better, I'm willing to take a DNA test to prove it. So is Rainer"

"Well, DNA doesn't lie. We can do it in the morning at the Dark Clinic. Then afterwards maybe we can see about getting you free from the Dark. He's your sponsor, so that's all that should be required for an annulment. Unless Evony drags it out" Lauren was worried about that.

Evony relished in Bo's suffering. She'd make sure to take an age to grant her annulment.

"And here I thought the hardest part was finding a way back on that train" Bo sighed.

"The hardest part hasn't even begun yet" Lauren said. "But for now, how about we put this day behind us. Though, I don't think I'm gonna get much sleep. Not after what I did" she bowed her head in shame.

Bo lifted her chin with a finger. "Hey? Don't ever feel ashamed for what you did. You protected yourself. And you thought I was dead, so technically you avenged me. I would've done the exact same thing"

"Who was I kidding?" Lauren chuckled. "This was always going to happen. I pushed the animal down for too long. What did I expect when I let her loose? I brought this on myself" she knew holding the Wendigo back was dangerous, but she didn't have a choice.

She didn't want to be a monster.

But she ended up becoming that anyway.

It hurt Bo to see her like this. She could feel her shame. "Listen to me" she held both sides of her face. "You're Fae now. And sometimes that means you have to do things you don't like. Things you swore you'd never do"

"Even killing?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded slowly. "_Especially_ killing" she hated to say it, but being Fae meant you had to do whatever it took to survive. If someone was a threat, then you respond in kind. That was the Fae way. "But that doesn't mean you're a monster"

"Not sure Hugin and Munin would see it that way. Not after what I did to their flock" Lauren wasn't sure if that's what that was their group name. But they were birds so it seemed to fit.

"They had that coming" Bo said. "Take it from me, the guilt you feel after killing can cripple you. _If_ you let it. You just gotta move on babe" she gave her a kiss. "We both do"

Lauren felt so content in her arms. She honestly felt like she never wanted to let go. Wait a minute—she thought. Was this it? Was this the moment Dyson mentioned? Had she mated with Bo?

She was silently screaming at herself because she was asking all these questions and really, she had no clue. This wasn't her area of expertise. Maybe she'd need to talk to Dyson again—something she was loathed to do—but he had the best knowledge on the subject.

"I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted" she needed to sleep on this feeling. It's not like she wanted it to go away; quite the opposite. But she needed to understand it more.

"Yeah, it's been quite a day" Bo chuckled. "How about we get our pjs on and hit the hay?"

Lauren kissed her again. "Sounds good" she and Bo quickly changed into some comfortable clothing and climbed into bed.

They slept soundly in each other's arms.

**Downstairs**

One person who wasn't sleeping soundly was Rainer. He thought now that he was off the train and back in the real world that he'd transition quickly. And he had. His memories still hadn't returned fully, but the real problem was having his power back. He'd been without it for so long that he'd forgotten how much of a burden it was.

Since he closed his eyes, he'd been struck with a dozen visions a minute. There were an infinite number of outcomes for one timeline. This one had many, and they were all bleak.

So much sorrow.

So much death.

His head rocked from side to side as he laid on his pillow. His eyes remained closed as the visions kept coming. He saw so many things.

The Una Mens killing him in front of Bo.

Killing _him_ in front of _her_.

The both of them killing the Una Mens _together_, as a team.

Trick charging towards him with a dagger, only to stab to Bo instead because she jumped in front of him as protection.

And Bo.

Dressed head to toe in black as she stood in front of a grave. She was in tears—heartbroken. He couldn't see the name on the headstone, but whoever it belonged to; their death was devastating enough to bring her to her knees.

Suddenly, he awoke and sat up in a sweat. He tried to catch his breath. He wished he never had this power sometimes.

Even with these visions, the future remained uncertain. But one thing that didn't, was Bo's fate. Her future held nothing but pain and misery. One thing he wondered was, did he have a part in that?

Was his return the cause of her miserable fate?

Foresight was a bitch.

* * *

**A/N: Oooh, what's happening? Is Rainer the big bad? Let me know what you thought. Also, if anyone has any more requests for the original What Could've Been fic, then let me know. I've hit a wall. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: So sorry this has been so late. I'm behind on a lot of things at the moment. But here is this latest instalment.**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Pop Goes the Bubble**

**Clubhouse **

Opening her eyes, Bo saw Lauren sound asleep next to her. Everything that went down yesterday had taken its toll on both of them. But Lauren was still suffering guilt from what she did to those crows. She had nothing to feel sorry for. She did the right thing.

Rather than wake her, Bo quietly got up and threw some clothes on as she made her way downstairs. She saw Rainer sitting on the couch staring into space. "Did you sleep okay?"

He was brought out of his thoughts suddenly. "Uh, yeah. Better than I have in a long time" that wasn't a complete lie. He did get a few hours after his visions ripped through his brain. "You?"

"Like a baby" Bo smiled. "For the last few weeks I've had a piece missing from my memory. But that's gone now. I'm starting to feel like myself again. Do you want some coffee?"

Rainer nodded. "Sure" he followed her to the kitchen and watched her play with a little machine. He presumed that's where she got the coffee from. "Will Lauren be joining us?"

Bo filled up the coffee filter with a few spoonfuls. "Maybe later. She had a rough day yesterday. I wanted to let her sleep"

"Define rough" Rainer said, taking a seat on one of the kitchen stools.

She filled the back of the machine with water and turned it on, and turned her back to it as she faced him to explain. The machine would need a few minutes anyway. "Something happened when we tried to get Hugin and Munin to take me to the train"

"Did they hurt her?" Rainer asked.

If only.

Bo shook her head. "They never had a chance. What I probably should've told you about Lauren is that, she's part Wendigo.

"Didn't you say she was Human?" Rainer was confused.

"I did" Bo had yet to tell him about this. "But while I was _away_, she was being hunted by the Fae. She had to do something to survive"

He still didn't understand. "Last I checked Humans can't just become Fae. Or have our people evolved so much that Crossbreeds are a normal thing?"

"Uh, no. Definitely not a normal thing" Bo wondered how she could explain this. "Lauren is considered a genius. And a few months ago, she discovered a way to create Human/Fae Crossbreeds. She didn't intend to become one herself, but she had no choice"

"And you're okay with that?" He asked.

Bo nodded. "I love her" she said. "I support any and all choices she makes. Am I scared for her? Of course I am. We both know our kind aren't an accepting bunch. But, if she's happy then that's all I care about"

"I imagine the thought of an eternity with her was also very attractive" Rainer remembered her saying how sad she was that she and Lauren had one very big problem. And that was, that Bo would be this age for centuries to come and Lauren wouldn't.

Now they didn't have that problem.

"Who wouldn't want to spend eternity with the love of their life?" Bo smiled; it was all she'd ever wished for. "I just wish I could help her with what she's going through now. And yesterday, when I got sent down to Irkalla; she thought I was dead, and that the crows were responsible. So uh—she reacted"

He understood. "Ah. I see. Well, those crows knew the bargain they made when they decided to work for our Father. Honestly, I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did. Does she feel guilty?"

"Lauren's the kind of person who puts her needs aside to help others. Even strangers. She also took an oath to never harm another living person. Human or Fae. So, the fact that she's killed people is hard for her to deal with" Bo felt for her, she honestly did.

Rainer sympathised with her. "As someone who's had experience in that sort of situation, I can understand how she feels. No matter how evil the person, the remorse and guilt for taking their life is strong enough to cripple even the purest of hearts"

"Any advice?" Bo asked.

Honestly, he didn't have much. "In truth there's nothing anyone can do for her. This's something she needs to work through on her own"

"Figured you'd say that" Bo had a feeling. She poured him a cup of coffee when it was done, and also for herself. "I still wish I could help make her feel less crappy about it all"

"All you can do is be there" Rainer sipped his coffee.

"Be where?" Lauren yawned as she entered the kitchen. Last night gave her no rest whatsoever.

Bo didn't want her to think they were gossiping about her so she just shook her head. "Nowhere" she poured a new mug. "Coffee?" She pushed it in her direction.

Lauren took it with a smile. "Thanks" she let the aroma of the coffee beans invade her heightened senses. It was heavenly. "So, what's on the agenda for today? Any plans now that you're back to reality?" She asked Rainer.

"Plans? No, nothing. I wouldn't even know where to begin. Much has changed since I was last here. Bo said something about a genetic test?" He heard her mention it before.

Bo swallowed the gulp of coffee she took, snapping her fingers as he reminded her. "Yes, the DNA test. You said we can do it at the Dark Clinic right?" She turned to her Girlfriend.

"Sure" Lauren was surprised that both Bo and Rainer were so eager to have the test done. They were almost certain that it wouldn't come back negative. "Why don't we call get dressed and head out in twenty minutes?"

"Sounds like a plan" Bo was good to go. "You go ahead, I'm just gonna show Rainer where he can find some threads" She kept a box of clothes from former gentlemen callers who were fortunate enough to spend the night.

Most of the clothes were Dyson's. Ryan left a few things here too, but his clothes were a bit too formal for Rainer. She found a plain black t-shirt that would go fine with his own jeans he came off the train with.

Bo left him to change as she dashed upstairs, finding Lauren at her closet. "Fashion crisis?"

"I just remembered, I packed up nearly all of my stuff when I moved. The only clothes of mine still here are _too_ casual" Lauren took all her clothes with her when she moved. She only left pyjamas here. And she couldn't wear those to the clinic.

"Relax, I'm sure I've got a spare shirt and some jeans you can borrow" Bo tried to find a pair. "Aww, we're sharing clothes. That's love" she handed her the clothes before stealing a kiss. She grabbed a new shirt and some jeans for herself while Lauren changed in the bathroom.

Even from here, Bo could still see the scars left from the bounty hunters. It continued to make her angry. She moved over to the bathroom door, leaning against the frame. "How'd you feel today?"

Lauren threw a shirt over her head, "A little numb, I guess" she noticed the look on her Girlfriend's face. "You don't need to keep worrying about me. I'll be fine"

"I always worry when it comes to" Bo touched her cheek.

"Today isn't a day to dwell on past mistakes" Lauren held her hand, and kissed the back. "Today, is the day you finally get the answers you want. So, shall we?"

Bo was ready to get the truth. "Yeah, let's go" she kept hold of her hand as they made their way downstairs. She had a Girlfriend who loved her and a brother to call Family. Life was pretty great right now.

She wanted to protect this happy bubble she'd found herself in.

At all costs.

**Dark Fae Clinic – Later**

While Bo and Rainer sat on opposite exam beds, she noticed that Lauren had made herself quite at home here. She already knew where everything was, and she was talking to the staff like she'd known them for years. She should've been happy for her—and on some level she was—she just wished she hadn't ended up here.

With the Dark.

"What is that stench?" Rainer made a face sniffing.

"Bleach" Lauren returned with her supplies. "Everything has to be clean here" she placed her gloves on both hands. "Are you ready for your donation?" She picked up a syringe.

He nodded, holding out his arm. "Go for it" he waited for her to insert the needle. It was sharp but he'd felt worse. She was done pretty quickly, and stuck a bandaid on him when she was finished.

Lauren turned around, and began drawing blood from Bo.

"We've gotta stop meeting like this Doc" Bo winked at her. Reliving treasured memories of all the Doctor's appointments she had with Lauren.

"Hilarious" Lauren retracted the needle, and placed a bandaid over the injections site.

Bo frowned with smile. "You're not gonna kiss it better?" This was fun.

If giving her a kiss would stop her from playing this funny little game, then Lauren could give her that. So she kissed her cheek. "Happy?"

"Ecstatic" Bo said.

"Okay. You guys sit tight, and I should be done with these soon enough" Lauren walked away to test the blood samples.

Bo smiled to herself as she watched Lauren walk away, and as she turned back to Rainer she noticed him looking at her with a slight smirk. "What?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. It's just nice to see you so happy. I can tell that Lauren brings a lot of joy into your life"

"She is my joy" Bo replied. "I've made my fair share of mistakes in the past, but Lauren's always stuck by me. I trust her more than anyone. Even myself"

"I'm glad you have someone to confide in" Rainer said.

Bo suddenly felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, so she picked it up and saw Dyson's name across the screen. "Hey, what's up?" She answered it.

"Trick's wondering if you can come to the Dal" he said. "He wants to talk to you"

"I think Trick made his feelings about me perfectly clear when he kicked me out of the bar yesterday" Bo was hesitant. "Why should I give him my time?"

Dyson sighed. "Because he's your family. He wants you to hear his side. He's your blood Bo, that has to count for something. Please"

"I can't, I'm sorry" Bo hung up the phone. And as she did, she saw Lauren wave her over from where she was standing. "Is it done?" She asked about the test.

Lauren still had to let the machine do its job. "In a minute. Are you really going to stay mad at Trick?"

Bo frowned, "How did you—" then she remembered. Wendigo's had super hearing. "You're cheating, you know"

"And you're deflecting" Lauren said. "Bo, he's your Grandfather. He loves you. You need to give him a chance to explain. If you don't and you lose him; you're gonna regret it"

Bo knew she was right. "Always the voice of reason huh?" She smiled at her. "Okay, for you I will give him a chance to explain. What about Rainer? It's not like I can take him with me"

"I'll take him back to the Clubhouse" Lauren offered to babysit for the day. "And introduce him to the wonder that is the television"

"Thanks" Bo kissed her. "I'll call you later" she told Rainer she was leaving to meet with Trick, so he'd be left to get to know Lauren a bit more.

**The Dal – Later**

For the first time in centuries, Dyson was very worried about his friend. Trick continued to drown his sorrows over his busy up with Bo with very strong shots of Meade. Though, he'd had a few now and he was still just shy of tipsy.

For an old man he could hold his liquor well.

"I'm sure she'll come around eventually" He sat opposite Trick at a table. The bar was empty due to Trick not opening today. He just wasn't in the mood to put a smile on for people. "Maybe I should ask Lauren to talk to her. If anyone can get through to Bo, it's her"

"You're not wrong" Bo walked in. "It's because of her wise words that I'm even here, so—" she felt like she couldn't make eye contact with Trick. But she sucked it up and got down to business. "You wanted me here?" She stepped towards the table. "Let's talk"

Trick poured her a drink, and another for himself. "Please, have a seat" he waited for her to take a seat beside Dyson. "I appreciate you coming by"

Bo took the shot, and knocked it back. She needed that. "Honestly I didn't want to. But Lauren made a point and she's really good at that. So, I came"

"What point was that?" Trick asked.

"That you're my Family" Bo said. "And that I would probably hate myself forever if I didn't at least hear you out"

Trick smiled. At least Lauren was on his side in a way. "She's right. We are family. I love you more than my own life Bo. You're the last piece of happiness I have left. And to lose you—" He shakily picked up his shot glass, drinking it. "Would destroy me"

Bo could see a change in him. This wasn't the put together, confident Trick she knew and loved. "You're not gonna lose me"

"Yes I will" Trick cleared his throat, the Meade was only now effecting him. "If Rainer has his way—I will"

"What way?" Bo sighed. This again? "Do you think I'm brainwashed or something? Because I'm not. I came here to hear your side of it, not to defend myself. Either tell me something useful, or I walk"

Trick couldn't help his hatred towards Rainer. "As you know, I have never hidden the fact that I became corrupt during my reign as King. Power is a seductive thing. And I let it consume me in the worst of ways"

Dyson had heard all this before, but he'd never heard Trick say it with such a broken voice.

"Losing Ysabeau pushed me over the edge. It wasn't good enough that I wrote the laws, I had to _enforce_ them. In my grief I turned my anger on those who refused to choose a side. Most people yielded, but Rainer—" Trick hated saying his name. "He was a special kind of stubborn"

Bo had already heard from Rainer that he refused the Blood King's choice to choose a side. Which was why Trick cursed him. "He already told me this part. He wouldn't choose, so you cursed him. But not before you tried to have him killed"

"That's true, I did" Trick said. "But only out of revenge for his countless attempts on _my _life. I assume he didn't tell you about his relationship with your Mother?"

This was going to hurt her.

But she needed to know the truth.

"What about my Mother?" Bo didn't like this.

"Losing Ysabeau broke us both. But back then, Aife wasn't a violent person. It was Rainer, who manipulated her to seek out revenge on the Dark Clan Leader who killed Ysabeau" he saw her face turn confused.

She didn't understand. "Why would he do that?"

"He knew if Aife got caught, I would intervene and offer her protection. Any Father would. But that would've also painted me as a hypocrite among my people. My laws were about justice. How would it look if I pardoned a murderer?" Trick poured himself another drink.

Dyson decided to step in. "If Trick had pardoned Aife for what she did—the Fae would've revolted. The peace he created would've shattered. That's what Rainer wanted"

"That's the real reason you handed Aife over to the Dark?" Bo asked. "So you wouldn't lose your precious peace?"

"Creating peace wasn't for _my_ benefit" Trick looked at her. "I did it for all of Faedom. And the Human race. If the Great War had kept going, they would be extinct. Rainer thrives in a war zone. He's a warrior; it's what he was born to do. To live in a land of peace goes against everything he was brought up to believe. _That_, is why I cursed him"

Bo didn't know what to say. "What do you want from me Trick?"

Trick shrugged his shoulder. "I don't want anything from you Bo. But what I want _for_ you, is a different question" she asked what that was. "To be happy—be safe. I couldn't protect Aife. But I can protect you" he reached over to take her hand. "Brother or not. You can't trust him"

How was she supposed to take his word?

She didn't know what to do.

But all this had made her think about something. She had Rainer's side of the story. And a partial part of Trick's. But she needed more. "Why not just kill Rainer? Why curse him?"

"I won't sit here and lie to you" Trick said. He knew Rainer had told her things already. "I did try to have him killed. Many times. But I was unsuccessful"

"Because of his Foresight?" Bo guessed.

Trick frowned. What had Rainer told her? "That was one factor. But not the sole reason for the unsuccessful attempts. Is that what he told you?"

Bo nodded. "He said you could never get the drop on him because of his power. So you cursed him instead. That way it wouldn't matter if he saw it coming or not"

"That lying bast—" Trick composed himself. "Rainer's foresight wasn't the reason I couldn't kill him. He was protected by something else. Something dark" he explained that he used the Blood Moon to see the outcome of the war if his peace failed.

And he saw Rainer standing with a dark figure. He never saw the man's face. Only felt his presence. To this day it still haunted him. He'd never felt such fear, and pain. Whoever that person was, he was pure Darkness.

Bo wondered something.

Was that dark figure her Father?

And if he was, did Rainer know more about him than he claimed?

**Clubhouse **

Lauren had no choice but to leave the DNA test running at the Clinic because she had to get Rainer out of the building before Evony turned up. She couldn't explain him to her, she didn't have the energy. One of her lab techs would send her the results soon.

She got Rainer back to the house and in the half hour that they'd been home, he'd been having severe headaches. She offered to examine him quickly, so she sat with him on the couch and conducted some small tests.

"Can you follow the light for me?" She waved her torch side to side as he followed it. "Good. Any dizziness?" He shook his head. "Nausea?" Another shake. "What's the pain feel like?"

"Like an ache" He said, as he looked at her. "May I say, your support of Bo is admirable. I've never seen two people more in love"

Lauren stood from the couch, "Thanks" she didn't know where he was going with that. But if it was a compliment then it was a sweet one. Weird. But sweet.

Suddenly, Tamsin entered the house with Kenzi as they held bags of groceries.

"Where's Bo?" Kenzi asked.

"At the Dal" Lauren said. "She went to work things out with Trick. At least, that's what I hope she's doing. You guys remember Rainer, right?"

He extended his hand to Kenzi. "Bo's told me a lot about you. Though, not much about you" he offered his hand to Tamsin. "It's Tamsin, isn't it?"

Tamsin shook his hand, and immediately felt a horrible feeling in her body. She'd felt this before. A long time ago. Suddenly, her head began to hurt. "Uh, Lauren? I don't feel so good"

Lauren stood at her side, helping her stand. "Come on, let's go upstairs so I can examine you" she took her upstairs.

Kenzi wasn't sure what just happened, but she was in need of a drink. "Beer?" She offered him a bottle.

"Thanks" Rainer took it and twisted off the cap like she told him to before taking a swig.

Refreshing.

**Upstairs **

Lauren sat Tamsin down on the bed, and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Well, you don't have fever. So that's good. You wanna tell me what that was down there?"

Honestly, Tamsin didn't know. She hadn't seen Rainer until right now. Having been out of it yesterday after she and Kenzi played with Trick's book of blood. "I don't know. When he touched me, I just felt—"

"Felt what?" Lauren sat beside her.

"Hollow" Tamsin didn't know if that was the right answer. "I've only felt that once before. When I sat across from the guy who hired me to find Bo"

Lauren didn't like this. "Was it Rainer?"

"I don't think so. But I got a familiar feeling when he took my hand. Like I've seen him somewhere before. Maybe even met him. My brain feels like it's splitting in to two" Tamsin groaned painfully touching her head.

Another thing Lauren didn't like was seeing Tamsin in pain. She couldn't help it. She'd gotten attached. "It's okay" she gave her a hug. "We're gonna figure this out. I promise"

Kenzi suddenly interrupted them by walking in on their tender moment. "You good T?"

"I will be" Tamsin smiled.

"Did you get a long with Rainer okay?" Lauren asked.

Kenzi nodded. "For the most part. But he took off pretty quick" she was asked where he went. "Do I look like his keeper? He said he wanted to go for a walk. What's the big deal?"

Lauren didn't want to worry her with what Tamsin just said. So she just dropped it. "Nothing, it's just he's new to this world. He might get lost"

"He's a big boy, I'm sure he'll find his way. So, do you guys need anything from me because Hale is taking me somewhere for the night" Kenzi had gotten nothing but cryptic messages from her boyfriend. He was up to something.

"No, I think we can manage without you Kenz. Thanks for taking care of Tamsin last night. And have fun with Hale; you guys deserve it" Lauren never thought she'd see the day when Hale and Kenzi became something more than friends. But she was happy for them.

With a thumbs up, Kenzi darted off to her room to pack a bag.

"Jesus!" Tamsin hissed, touching her head. "I think I'm gonna go home and lay down for a bit" she had a key to Lauren's apartment, so she was fine to go by herself.

"Are you sure?" Lauren didn't like the colour of her face right now. "Because I can go with you if you want"

Tamsin kindly declined her offer. "No, you should wait here for Bo. She needs you more than I do. I'll be fine. Promise. I'll see you later" she left the house without another word.

An hour passed, and Lauren was still waiting by herself. Bo had yet to return home, and Rainer was still on his walk about. Lauren decided to make the most of her time and clean up the place. There were still things left over from the Yule party and they were bugging her.

She was sweeping up the floor when she smelt something awful enter the house. At a time like this her heightened sense of smell was a curse. She turned around and saw a—wait, was that a zombie?

She must've been going crazy.

The undead man moaned as he stepped towards her slowly, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.

"I _just_ cleaned the floor!" Lauren used her animal claws to slash his throat, but he just kept walking.

Before he got to her, his head was removed from his neck by a sword. As his body fell, Bo's confused and yet worried face came into view. "Are you okay?" She gave her a hug.

"Yeah, I'm fine" Lauren was glad she was here. "Him—not so much" she looked at the mess on the floor. Why was there always a mess?

Bo had never seen anything like this. "What is he?"

"Well, I've never seen one in real life before but I think he's a Revenant" Lauren knelt beside him to check him over, while Bo asked what a Revenant was. "Other Fae raise them to settle old scores. Better to send a dead guy who can't talk than someone who could flip on a dime" she checked his pocket.

And found something strange.

It was the same Tarot card they gave to Clio. Only, Lauren couldn't remember what they used it for.

Weird.

Bo took the card from her, it had Rainer's title on it. The Wanderer. Why was a dead Fae carrying his calling card? "Where's Rainer?"

"Right here" Rainer walked into the house and saw the sight before him. "Looks like I missed quite a bit. What happened?"

After everything she'd heard from Trick, and now this; Bo didn't know what to do. So she tucked the card into her back pocket. "I'm not sure yet. But this guy's dead now—for good—so let's just get rid of the body"

"Let me" Rainer offered to carry the dead guy outside and burn him. He told them Revenants are meant to be burned after they're killed or they can be raised again.

While he was outside, Lauren thoroughly washed her hands in the sink. She could still smell the rotting flesh. "Please tell me you have a can of air freshener here somewhere"

Bo checked the cupboard and found one thankfully. "Fresh mountain pine" she sprayed it across the room. "Are you sure you're not hurt?" She wanted to be sure.

"I'm sure" Lauren said. "How did things go with Trick?" She'd been dying to know.

"I don't know yet" Bo sighed. "Ask me again in the morning. I'm just glad to be home, with you" she leaned into her, but had to pull away when Lauren's phone let out a jingle. "What is it?"

Lauren read the message. "It's my guys at the lab. The test I ran on you and Rainer this morning—it's finished. Biologically, he is in fact your half brother. Congratulations" she figured she'd be happy about this. But to her shock, Bo had no smile on her face. "Are you okay? I thought this was what you wanted"

"It was—it is" Bo got caught between answers. She was just so torn right now.

"Bo, talk to me" Lauren held her hand.

Bo needed privacy. "Not here" she whispered. "Let's go back to your place" she told Lauren to grab her things while she filled Rainer in.

She gave him the good news, which he was thrilled to hear. She also told him that she was staying at Lauren's place tonight. He didn't mind being left alone. He'd discovered the wonder that was HBO and it's delightful programming schedule.

**Lauren's Apartment – Later**

When they got to her place, Lauren found no sign of Tamsin in the living room. She spent most of her time there watching TV, but this time she was in her bedroom passed out cold. She checked in on her quickly, and she still looked a little pale.

Maybe sleep would help.

She left her in silence, and joined Bo on the couch with a bottle of wine. "So, what happened with Trick?" She poured a glass for herself and for Bo.

"To be honest I'm still processing" Bo took the glass from her, gulping not down until she had nothing left. "Hit me again" she needed something stronger than this, but figured that would be the stupid thing to do. She needed a clear head right now.

Lauren refilled her glass, "Maybe you should drink this one slower. I really don't feel like picking you up off the floor after you've had too many"

"I'm sorry" Bo rubbed her eyes. "After what happened today, I don't know what to do"

"About what?" Lauren asked.

"About Rainer" Bo said.

Suddenly, Lauren's door bursted open as two undead corpses dragged their feet inside her home. Funny, she didn't remember inviting anyone over.

Bo noticed one of them was holding a piece of paper in his hand. She glanced at the table beside the front door. She left her dagger there when she came in. Shit!

"Bo!"

She turned her head to the left as she saw Tamsin in the hallway, she threw a spare dagger over to her. Bo caught it in her hand and quickly tackled one of the Revenants to the floor. She jabbed the knife into his skull until he stopped moving.

Tamsin launched a throwing knife at the other, hitting him between the eyes. He fell backwards on the floor—dead. For good this time. "Who'd you piss off this time?" She assumes they were after Bo.

Lauren bent down next to the corpse Bo dealt with, and picked up the paper he had in his hand. Only, it wasn't paper. It was a card. The same card she saw earlier, with The Wander's title below it. She flipped it over, and saw something unexpected.

"For once, Bo's off the hook" she stood and gave the card to Bo, watching her face as she read it. "It's not her they're after"

Bo looked at the card again, just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. But she wasn't. This was all very real. She held up the card to Tamsin, letting her read the name scribbled on the back—in blood.

"They're after _you_?" Tamsin looked at Lauren with a shocked expressions. Why would anyone want to kill Lauren? The Una Mens has pardoned her, they wouldn't go back on that.

Not their style.

It was someone else.

Bo knew exactly who ordered this. This card proved it. How could she forgive Rainer for doing this? He knew how much Lauren meant to her. She did this. She brought him into this world—into their lives.

How could she forgive herself if something happened to Lauren?

And just like that.

Her bubble had popped.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Been a while huh? I'm never gone for long. Got a few stories to wrap up and a few new ones because I'm bored with real life. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Day of the Dead**

**Lauren's Apartment **

In the last twenty minutes, Bo had found out two things.

One—undead Revenants were after her Girlfriend.

Two—it was becoming clear that her own brother had sent them thanks to his calling card.

How was she supposed to handle this?

Tamsin had gotten rid of the bodies while Bo had an inner crisis as Lauren watched. Bo just sat on the couch, holding the tarot card in her hands.

The silence was killing her so Lauren finally broke. "Bo?" She sat beside her. "This is not the time to break down on me. What do we do?" She had no clue what to do, or how to react.

"I uh—" Bo stuttered. "I'm not sure" she finally looked at her Girlfriend's face. "One thing I know, is no one's laying a finger on you. Not while I'm around" she took hold of her hand. "I need to confront Rainer—ask him about this" she held up the card in her other hand.

"Forget that!" Tamsin exclaimed as she returned. "Let's just kill the bastard. I mean come on—he might be your brother but that doesn't mean you owe him anything"

Bo sighed. "It's a little more complicated than that Tamsin"

Tamsin frowned angrily. "The hell it is! He sent Revenants to kill Lauren—_your _Girlfriend! And you're gonna what—have a heart to heart with him? No! That asshole's dead!" She went to grab a knife.

But Lauren got to her in a flash and snatched it from her. "No one's killing anybody" she put it down. "But maybe Tamsin's right Bo" she spoke to her Girlfriend. "Maybe confronting Rainer isn't a good idea"

"I have to know the truth Lauren" Bo stood from the couch. "I went to hell and back for him. I signed away my freedom! The one thing I had—the one thing that was _mine_! He owes me an explanation"

"And what if it's the bad kind?" Lauren asked.

Bo looked back at the tarot card that had Lauren's name on it. Rainer was willing to kill her. After everything Bo had told him. He knew how much Lauren meant to her. Why would he betray her like this? No, he didn't get to come away from this unscathed.

"Then he dies" She grabbed her keys and left the apartment after telling Lauren to stay put and for Tamsin to watch out for any more Zombies.

Lauren tried to run after her, but Tamsin blocked the exit. "Move Tamsin"

"Nuh uh" Tamsin shook her head as she folded her arms. "I'm with Bo on this one. Your safety's the most important thing right now. Consider me your new bodyguard" she wasn't moving.

After everything Lauren had done for her; raising her, nurturing her into a respectable woman—there was no way she was letting her get hurt. It was her duty to protect her now.

**Clubhouse – Later**

Bo got home and found Kenzi in the kitchen drinking some coffee. She offered her one with a smile. "No thanks. How come you're still here? Lauren said Hale was taking you out" she heard from her Girlfriend earlier.

"He is, I'm just waiting on him while he takes care of a few errands for our trip" Kenzi noticed Bo looked a little off. "Everything okay?"

"Not really sure right now" Bo mumbled. "Do me a favour Kenz? Hang out at Trick's until Hale finishes his errands. I need a little time alone with Rainer. We've got things to talk about" she didn't want to worry her, and she definitely didn't want her alone with Rainer.

Kenzi didn't buy any of that. Other than Lauren, she was the person who knew everything about Bo. She knew when something was up. And she knew when Bo didn't share it with her it was for a good reason. So, she just nodded and promised to leave.

"You need me" She looked Bo dead in the eyes. "You call me. Okay?"

Bo smiled, and brought Kenzi in for a hug. "Promise" she waited for her to leave. And as she turned around she saw Rainer coming downstairs in fresh clothes and damp wet hair. "Everything go okay with the corpse?"

Rainer used the towel in his hand to dry his hair. "I burned him in the backyard. Death by fire is the only way to permanently kill a Revenant" he ran his fingers through his hair, combing it back. "He's dead for good this time" He noticed she was standing awkwardly. "Everything alright?"

"Depends" Bo replied, her head looking down.

"On?" Rainer asked.

Bo lifted her head and held up the tarot card so he could see. "On whether or not you sent Revenants to kill my Girlfriend" she threw the card at his feet. For the first time since she'd met him, she saw an aura around him. And it was black. Darkest she'd ever seen. "I see you now" she mumbled.

Rainer picked up the card and met her gaze. "Of course you do" he smirked. "Just like I see you, and your fast approaching fate" he looked at the card, then back to her. "I know it may seem unfair, but I only did this to help you"

"Help me?" Bo chuckled dryly. "You think murdering the person I love will _help _me? What happened to you? You're not the man I met on that train" she frowned at him, she felt like she was looking at a stranger. "Was any of it real?"

"It was all real" he said. "But what I didn't have on the train, were my memories. Those were taken from me by your loving Grandpa" he scowled thinking of Trick. "But the moment I stepped onto this plane of existence, they've been creeping in one by one. Now, I remember everything"

Bo kept a safe distance from him, she was very angry right now. "Was this your plan all along? Get me to break your curse and then you repay me by ruining my life?"

He shook his head. "I don't want to ruin your life Bo" that wasn't his intention. "I just want to open your eyes to the truth"

"What truth?" She asked.

"That these people you care about—your so-called family? They're not part of your path. They never were. I followed my path alone, and it was the best thing I ever did. I had no one holding me back, no one stifling me, I was completely free. I want that for you too" he said.

Bo found this completely insane. "Yeah thing is, I _was _free. Being Unaligned gave me that. But I gave that up, for you. I threw away my freedom, for you. Only to find out that it was all for nothing. You know, screwing me over is one thing. But to go after my Girlfriend? You know how much she means to me. I confided in you" She was devastated by this betrayal.

"I know this seems harsh" Rainer attempted to get close to her but she just backed away. "But after it's over you'll see that it was all for the best. We need to be focused for what's coming—for what we have to do"

Now she was confused.

"And what exactly do we have to do?"

Rainer pulled his collar to his left. "We have to help our Father" he revealed his mark. "He needs us" this was always the plan. To find Bo, and together the both of them would release their Father from his prison. "All we have to do is find the Sinvat. Together, with our powers we'll be able to access the portal"

"What portal?! And what the hell is a Sinvat?!" Bo was really getting sick of all these Fae words. Why couldn't things be simple? She heard him say that their Father had been imprisoned in a place called Tartarus for over a thousand years.

Before he was banished, Rainer was the General to his Dark Army but it was a doomed enterprise. Because now matter how good of a General Rainer was, the vessels his Father tried to influence never survived the process. That was when his Father knew he needed someone with a power different to theirs.

He needed a Fae who could take someone's life force and bend it to their will.

A Fae who fed on chi.

"Everything Trick said about you was true" Bo whispered. "You manipulated Aife. Made her seek revenge against a powerful Clan Leader knowing Trick couldn't save her" it all made sense now.

Rainer could've guess that Trick told her about that. "Actually, a part of me thought Trick would've offered her Sanctuary. I mean, she _was _his only daughter. But he refused. Not only that, but he _literally _handed her over to the Dark to be killed. You tell me Bo, what kind of Father would do that to his only child?"

"And what kind of Father would expect his own children to sacrifice their own happiness just to save himself?" She ignored his question and asked her own. "All to break him out of a prison—one he probably deserves to be in—and then what happens Rainer?"

"We rule" he replied. "Together, side by side. You still have no idea who you really are, do you?" He smiled. "You were never _just _a girl, Bo. You're meant for so much more than being someone's friend, or Girlfriend. We're royalty Bo"

Bo was about to ask what he meant by that. But then realised maybe she needed to ask a different question. One she should've asked when this conversation started. "Who is he? Our Father—why was he so powerful?"

"Our Father is a King" Rainer stared at her. "He's as old as time. He and his own Family created everything you see before you" he waved his hands around the room. "Humans from every continent worshiped them" he began to walk around her. "You've probably wondered why you feel more powerful than all your other Fae friends. That's because you are. We come from a very special bloodline"

Bo moved away from him. "Enough with the stories! Tell me what we are!" She demanded with a yell.

Rainer just looked at her and smiled. "We're the children of Hades—God of the Underworld. We have ancient blood running through our veins. And it's exactly that blood, that's going to help free our Father"

There were so many thoughts going through Bo's head right now. Hades? That had to be a joke, right? But joke or not, there was no way she was helping Rainer do anything. Especially not when it came to unleashing a God from a prison. "I'm not helping you do anything. You hear me? I will _never_ do what you want"

"Even if it means saving your Girlfriend's life?" Rainer asked.

Without thinking, Bo reached for a knife behind her back and attempted to strike his face. Only for Rainer to catch her wrist in his hand, stopping her from delivering the fatal blow. Of course, he saw that coming. Damn Foresight. How the hell was she supposed to fight someone who could anticipate her every move?

"You can't fight me Bo" he pulled her close, and strengthened his grip on her wrist. Forcing her to drop the knife. "There is no tactic, no strategy, or attempt to take my life that I won't see coming. It's pointless to try, so please don't" he pushed her away.

"I want you out of my house" She pointed at the door. "And I swear to god, if you go near Lauren I will find a way to kill you"

He chuckled. "No you won't, but I admire the confidence" he picked up her knife. "And as for Lauren—when Revenants are hired to kill someone they don't stop until they succeed. I'd be surprised if Lauren lasts the night"

"GET OUT!" Bo's eyes burned blue as she shouted at him.

He held up his hands. "Sure, whatever you want sis. But when this's all over, you'll see that it was for the best. People like us aren't capable of love. What you feel for Lauren and your friends, isn't real. The only thing real in this world, is the bond of family. Remember that" he turned around and walked towards the door, and jammed her knife into the doorframe as he left.

It took Bo a while to get her bearings.

But she eventually snapped into focus, because her Girlfriend was still in danger. The Revenants weren't going to stop until she was dead. She had no idea how to stop them. There was one person she could speak to, but after the way she'd treated him how could she expect to be heard?

Right now, she had a very important place to get to.

**Lauren's Apartment – Later**

When Bo arrived she found Tamsin wiping blood from her sword. In the time she'd been gone, two more Revenants had shown up to try and kill Lauren. Tamsin dispatched them, but not before one of them managed to bite Lauren's arm.

Luckily for them, Revenants weren't like the Zombies read about in Comic Books or seen in Horror films. A Revenant didn't do any damage to the victim. Other than a little pain, Lauren would be fine. And her Wendigo genes had already sped up the healing process.

Bo entered her Girlfriend's bedroom, watching her try to wrap a bandage around her right arm. This was all her fault. She brought Rainer here, he was _her_ Brother. "Are you okay?" She took over from Lauren as she continued to patch up the wound.

"Fine" Lauren replied, hissing at the sensation of the bandage touching the wound. "Judging by the look on your face, I take it the talk with Rainer didn't go so well"

After tying the bandage off around her Girlfriend's arm, Bo took a seat beside her on the bed. "He played me. And I let him" she felt so stupid right now. "Trick was right. Rainer isn't who I thought he was"

"What did he say?" Lauren asked.

"He said that we have a duty to our Father" Bo said. "He needs me to help break him out of a hell dimension. He was imprisoned there centuries ago. And that's not all" she tried to find the right way of saying this but there wasn't one. "My Father is Hades"

Lauren froze. "Hades? As in—"

"As in God of the Underworld—yeah" Bo sighed, rubbing her face with both hands. "Right now I can't even think about that. All that matters is keeping _you _safe. Rainer said the Revenants never give up a mark. They're just gonna keep coming"

"So what do we do?" Lauren asked, generally wondering what the hell they were supposed to do. She didn't know anything else about Revenants other than what they were used for.

Bo needed help from someone she trusted. And she needed Lauren in a safe place. A Sanctuary. There was only one place they could go. "We go see Trick" she got up from the bed and held her hand out for Lauren to take. "He'll know what to do. Providing he accepts my apology for being such a bitch"

Lauren took her offered hand and stood, she had a bit of an ache but she could already feel herself healing. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Trick's not the kind of guy to hold a grudge. Especially against you"

"Hope not" Bo hoped they could come back from this. "Because he's our only chance to keep you safe. Come on" she held her hand as they left the bedroom.

**The Dal – Later**

By the time Bo, Lauren and Tamsin arrived Trick was closing up for the night. He didn't feel like having a bunch of noisy people around right now so he decided on an early night. So he was completely surprised to see them standing in his doorway.

"What can I do for you?" He asked.

Bo told Tamsin to keep an eye outside for any more Zombies while she told Lauren to take a seat at the bar. "I know I've been a terrible Granddaughter lately. But we didn't know who else to turn to"

Trick noticed the blood soaked bandage on Lauren's arm. "Is there someone after you?"

"Not me—Lauren" Bo pulled him aside. "I need you to grant her Sanctuary. Please Trick, there's an army of Revenants after her and they won't stop until she's as dead as they are"

"Who sent them?" Trick saw the look on her face. It was one of pure shame and guilt. "Rainer?" She looked at him with tears in her eyes.

Bo felt like such an asshole. "You were right. He's a monster. And he's tasked an undead herd to try and kill Lauren. I know you have no reason to help me after the way I've treated you. But I'm not asking for myself, I'm asking for her" she meant Lauren. "You have to help me keep her safe"

Trick picked up her hand. "Your my Granddaughter Bo. I will always help you" he held it tight. "And I will do everything in my power to keep Lauren safe"

"Thank you" she gave him a crushing hug. "I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you Trick"

"Don't worry about any of that now" He hugged her back. "Sit with Lauren, help yourself to a drink. I need to surround the bar with talismans"

Bo pulled back, and wiped her tears. "What kind of talismans?"

"The kind that keep Revenants out" Trick smiled at her. "We'll figure this out. Take a breather" he walked away to grab his supplies.

Making her way over to the bar, Bo helped herself to a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. She filled both up, and slid one over to Lauren. "I can't believe I trusted him" she knocked back her drink.

"You made a mistake Bo" Lauren took a sip of her drink. But Bo had made it way too strong for her. "It could've happened to anyone"

"But it didn't happen to anyone—it happened to _me_" Bo replied. "Why do I always do this? I think I have all the facts, but I always end up dead wrong. I base my actions on emotions, and it always bites me in the ass"

Every bad decision she'd ever made was due to someone tugging at her heartstrings. She couldn't help it, she liked to see the good in people. But some people—like Rainer—they couldn't be helped. No matter how much she tried.

"Bo, I love you—I do" Lauren was about to lay a bit of a truth on her. It was the only hope they had. "But beating yourself up over a mistake isn't gonna solve our problems. You need to get your head in the game. You need to be ready to face him"

Bo just stared at her. "He has the power of Foresight Lauren. He knows all my moves before I make them. How do I fight that?" He already bested her back at the house.

"By being the amazing, fearless, _badass_ Succubus you've always been" Lauren placed a hand on her cheek. "You can beat him Bo. I know you can"

Faith.

That's one thing Bo never had in herself. But Lauren always had it. It was always the thing Bo could count on with her. "Promise me you'll stay here while I deal with this? I mean it Lauren. He's not gonna stop until you're dead. His Revenants _won't stop_" she took hold of the hand that rested on her cheek. "I won't survive it if anything happens to you"

"I'm not gonna let you face him alone" Lauren wasn't the girl she once was. She was strong, fast, and packed one hell of a punch thanks to her new Fae genes. "We're a team"

"I know we are, but you're safer under this roof. Trick can keep the Revenants out" she saw her Grandfather placing talismans around the premises. "You go outside and you're fair game. Please, just stay here. Promise me" Bo was begging her. She couldn't lose her now.

Not after everything.

Lauren didn't want to give in, but she was being logical. Outside these walls, she was as good as dead. Staying here was her only chance at survival. "I promise"

As she stood, Bo pulled her close for a hard kiss. "I love you" She heard Lauren reply with the same three words, then walked off to catch up with Trick. "Any ideas on how I can call off a Revenant hit?"

Trick finished hanging the last talisman on the wall by the main entrance as he turned to her. "Not many people use Revenants anymore, unfortunately. But if memory serves, there's a Head Revenant. They alone hold dominion over a herd"

"And how exactly do I find this _Head Revenant_?" Bo asked.

"That's where my expertise runs out" Trick sighed. "I've never had much experience with Revenants. I'm sorry Bo. But rest assured, Lauren is completely safe within these walls. At least it'll buy you time"

Bo smiled at him. "Thanks Trick. I know you don't owe me anything. Not after what's happened. But I'm grateful for your help" she tapped his shoulder as she left the bar.

**Outside**

Bo left the Dal to find Tamsin killing yet another Revenant. "How many does that make now?" She asked as she approached her.

Tamsin shrugged. "Four, five? But who's counting?" She wiped her sword again. "How's Lauren holding up?"

"Okay, I guess. I made her promise me she'd stay put while I figure this out. Can you do me a favour? Make sure she doesn't leave the bar?" Bo needed Lauren safe. And if that meant holding her hostage then so be it.

"I can do that" Tamsin nodded. "Hey? I might have a guy who can help you track down the root of this undead problem. This guy named Harvey; he's a low life and a bit of a pervert, but he's got a history with loaning out Revenant contracts. He might be able to tell you who controls the Revenants that're after Lauren" being over two thousand years old came in handy.

She'd made a lot of friends.

And enemies.

Bo was glad for the lead. "So, he's a friend?"

"Not exactly" Tamsin stuttered awkwardly. "I kinda delivered his Mother to Hecuba prison back in the day. Which is precisely why _you're _going to speak to him and not me"

"I guess dropping your name is a bad idea then?" Bo needed this lead to work out. And it wouldn't if he hated Tamsin. He'd never help if he knew Bo was friends with her.

Tamsin confirmed that it would be a bad idea. "Big time. Wait here" she ran into the bar only to return five minutes later holding a small vial. "I know this's gross, but without it he can't do his thing" she sliced into the dead Revenant and began filling up the vial with it's blood. She pushed the cork into the top and handed it to Bo. "You're all set"

Bo looked at it with a look of a disgust. "And what the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

"Give it to Harvey" Tamsin said. "All he has to do is drink a few drops and viola!" She clapped her hands with a smile. "He'll give you the name of the bastard controlling these asshats"

"That's disgusting" Bo made a face again. Just the thought of watching that made her gag.

"I know. But it's the only way" Tamsin always hated watching it too. But if they wanted to stop these attacks they needed Harvey's help. "I got Lauren covered. You should go. Sooner we finish this, the sooner we can find a way to take crazy train down"

Bo shared that determination. "Call me if something happens. I'll be as quick as I can" she ran off in the direction where her car was parked.

It was time to pay Harvey a visit.

**Harvey's Warehouse – Later**

When Bo arrived she was met with a tall, slimy man who introduced himself as the man Tamsin mentioned. She asked if to sample some Revenant blood so he could find out who Rainer hired to send the herd after Lauren.

He swilled the blood around in his mouth, as if he was tasting a finely aged wine. It was sickening to watch. He swallowed it with a smile, and informed her that the person in charge of the herd was a woman named Laveau. He even told Bo where she could find her.

So Bo went off in search of her.

On her Travels she ran into Dyson. He told her Lauren asked him to provide back up. It struck Bo as odd, why her Girlfriend would call the man who said such awful things to her weeks before. Maybe they had made up for good now.

It was weird.

They got to Laveau's trailer, and found her trying to flee. They ran after her and chased her to a dead end. Bo demanded that she call off the Revenant hits on Lauren.

But Laveau stated Rainer paid her handsomely to ensure the good Doctor's demise. And she was a woman of her word. Bo made a split decision and delivered a hard punch to her face; knocking her unconscious.

She didn't necessarily need Laveau to do anything. She just needed someone who had experience with Revenants. So with Dyson's help, she dragged Laveau back to Harvey's Warehouse and begged him for help.

"You must know a way to end this" she waited for Dyson to lay Laveau sown on the metal table in front of them.

Harvey tutted. "What've they done to you baby?" He stroked Laveau's cheek lovingly.

Dyson frowned. "Baby?" Oh, this was not good.

This was not good at all.

Laveau rose from the table, and stood at Harvey's side with a smirk on her face. "You didn't think it would be this easy, did you?" She chuckled at their expressions. "My blood alone holds dominion of the Revenants currently tasked with hunting your Girlfriend"

"Call them off!" Bo yelled.

"Or what?" Laveau asked. "In case you hadn't noticed" she revealed a slash around her neck as she pulled away her scarf. "I'm already dead. There's nothing you can do to me"

Dyson growled. "Wanna bet?" He extended his claws and knocked her head off her shoulders with impressive force. He picked up her head, and handed it to Bo.

She held up a hand. "Whoa! What the hell are you doing with that?" She didn't want that thing anywhere near her.

"You heard what she said. Only her blood can call off the Revenants. Drink some" he said.

"Drink some?" Bo looked at him dumb. "Are you insane? There is no way I'm drinking her filthy blood. I don't even know where she's been!" She turned away with a huff.

Gross.

Dyson really hated it when she didn't listen. "Bo, this's the only way to stop the Revenants. Do you wanna save Lauren or not?" He held the head out to her again.

"Why can't you do it?" Bo asked. He told her that Revenant blood was poisonous to Shifters. Why didn't she believe him? "Fine" she took Laveau's head from his hands and drank from her neck. "Uhggh!" She coughed violently, dropping the head. "Now what?" She asked.

He pulled a lighter out of his pocket, "First thing's first—" he noticed a gas can in the far corner. He grabbed it and poured its contents over Laveau's body and severed head. "We make sure she stays dead this time" he used the lighter to burn her corpse.

Suddenly, Bo felt her phone vibrate. "Hello?" It was Tamsin. "Jesus, Tamsin! Slow down!" She said they had an emergency. "What'd you mean? Is Lauren okay?" Tamsin replied with a yes, but also informed her that Trick's Talismans has failed and Revenants were now trying to break down the door. "Okay, okay! I'm on my way!"

"Problem?" Dyson dusted off his hands.

"Yeah, big time. Let's go!" Bo ran off as he followed her.

Leaving Harvey to mourn his love as he watched her burn. He fell to his knees as the flames grew higher. "We had a wild ride baby"

**The Dal**

Tamsin had her back to the front door, trying her hardest to keep the hungry Zombies out. "So much for your anti-Revenant charms huh?" She yelled at Trick.

"I've never had a problem in the past" Trick grabbed grabbed a table with Lauren's help and placed it against the door.

"Emphasis on the _past_, right?" Tamsin took a breather as she pushed another table towards the door. "I mean, when's the last time you even used those hobo rocks?"

Lauren silenced her. "That's enough Tamsin!" She wasn't going to allow her to be disrespectful to Trick. "It's not your fault Trick. Don't worry about it. Let's just find a way to keep this herd out long enough for Bo to get back"

Trick nodded. "I think I have some wooden boards in the back. If we seal up the doors—it should buy us time" as he went to search the back, Revenants began pouring through the back door.

"You were saying?!" Tamsin drew her sword. "Stay behind me" she stood protectively in front of Lauren.

Who was getting really sick of being treated like a baby. "You know I'm part Wendigo, right? I can take care of myself"

"We really don't have time to get into this right now" Tamsin told her to stand behind the bar where it was—somewhat—safe. "You're already hurt, and I'm not letting them sink their rotten teeth into you again. So please, just stay back"

Lauren admired Tamsin's courage. Last year, she never would've thought Tamsin of all people would be protecting her—willingly. But it was comforting. "Fine" she stood behind the bar.

Trick grabbed an empty glass left by one of his patrons, and smashed it against a Revenant's head. He was left with a shard in his hand, and jabbed it into the side of the corpse's head. "Disgusting!" The smell of the its blood made him gag.

No matter how made heads Tamsin sliced off with her sword, they just kept coming. "There's too many of them!" She kicked one away before turning around. "Lauren, behind you!" She saw a Revenant break through the barricade on the other side of the room.

Two Revenants burst in, and they were inches away from the bar.

"Shit" Lauren ran to the end of the bar, and just before one of them grabbed her by the hair she hopped over the bar top and crashed right into Bo. "Hi"

Bo caught her, "Hi" she saw the approaching herd behind her. "I see you have some unwanted visitors. I can help with that" she and Dyson came through the back when they saw the team of Revenants blocking every exit. "Stay back okay?" She moved Lauren behind her.

Lauren nodded as she moved away. She watched Bo stand in the middle of the room. In between both groups of zombies. "And how exactly is she gonna _help_?" She asked Dyson.

"You'll see" Dyson smiled.

Bo outstretched her arms, her eyes turned blue as she felt a strange feeling inside her. A power she'd never experienced before. But she suddenly felt like she owned these Revenants. "Stop!" She yelled.

Tamsin backed up when the Revenant who was previously attacking her; had stopped and stood still.

"Be at peace!" Bo watched them all fall to the ground. They were finally dead for good. She turned around and saw her friends looking amazed and shocked at the same time.

Lauren took steps towards her, and was about to give her a very big kiss to say thank you. But Bo told her to wait a second. She watched her Girlfriend run to the bar, grab a big bottle of vodka and began guzzling it down. "Am I missing something?"

Dyson was the only one who knew why Bo was disinfecting her mouth with alcohol. "She took something back at Harvey's. And it was pretty gross" it was better to just leave it at that.

Bo gargled the vodka in her mouth, and spat in an empty glass. "I can still taste it" she was about to vomit.

"Taste what?" Lauren asked.

Tamsin started laughing. "Gotta say, I didn't think you had it in you to drink the Zombie blood. That's badass Bo" she knew how controlling Revenants went.

"You drank Revenant blood?" Lauren made a face. Even the smell of it was putrid. She couldn't imagine what the taste was like.

Bo ended up finishing the entire bottle of Vodka. And now she was a little buzzed. "It was the only way to get control over the Revenants. But it's over now" she made her way over to Lauren. "You're zombie free"

"Thanks" Lauren gave her a hug. "What about Rainer?" She asked. "He's not just gonna go away"

Unfortunately, she was right. "He's not my concern right now" Bo picked up Lauren's injured arm. "You are. Are you okay?"

"Fine" Lauren leaned into her. "Pretty tired though"

"So let's go home" Bo told Tamsin to take Lauren out to the car while she had a word with Trick. "Thanks for your help today. Sorry about the mess" she glanced at the dozen or so corpses around the room.

Trick waved a hand. "It's fine. One of the perks of being Acting Ash, is that I have full authority over the Cleaners. They'll come by and deal with the bodies. It'll be alright. And I'm happy things worked out"

"For now" Bo sighed. "There's some things we need to talk about. Is it okay if I come by in the morning?"

"Of course" Trick smiled at her. "Go home. Get some rest" he touched her arm gently.

Bo said goodbye to Dyson before running after Tamsin and Lauren.

Dyson had already begun piling the bodies up. "Drink?" He asked his old friend.

"Sure" Trick waved him over to the bar.

A drink sounded about right after today.

**Unknown Location**

Dripping.

That's all Kenzi could hear, was the dripping of water nearby. She didn't know what happened. One minute she was with Hale outside his apartment getting ready to go away for the weekend, and the next she was here.

In a dirty basement with leaking pipes and rats running around. Her head felt like a bag of rocks, and she was definitely feeling a lot of pain. As she looked up, she saw Hale sitting opposite her with duct tape over his mouth as he was strapped to a chair.

"Hale?" She found her own hands and feet bound too. "What's going on?!" She tried so hard to break free of her restraints. But it was no use.

"That is a mighty fine question Kenzi" Rainer appeared from the doorway, stepping closer to her. "I apologise for bringing you and your companion here under these circumstances. But Bo left me no choice"

She was so confused. "Why're you doing this?"

Rainer knelt down beside her. "All I want is to set my Father free. For that to happen, I need Bo's help. I thought threatening Lauren's life would work, but she just relented. The only other person Bo loves as much as Lauren is you"

"So you think threatening _me_ is gonna get her to give in to your demands?" Kenzi laughed. "If she didn't fold for Lauren then she's not gonna fold for me. Bo believes in alternative solutions. So whatever you threaten to do to me, she'll just find a way around it. Either way, you're gonna lose bro" she had faith in Bo.

Her best friend didn't always have good timing, but she came through when it mattered most.

"You mistake my intentions Kenzi" Rainer smirked. "I don't need to kill you to get to Bo. I just need to hurt you. That's where your suitor comes in" he pointed a thumb behind himself towards Hale.

Kenzi didn't see that coming. "No!" She tugged on the restraints. "Do whatever you want to me, just don't hurt him!"

Rainer walked towards Hale. He contemplated leaving his mouth without duct tape, but that was before he had a vision of Hale using his Siren whistle to incapacitate him. "You should know, this brings me no joy" he placed both hands on Hale's shoulders. "But I need Bo to take me seriously"

"Hale! I love you!" Kenzi cried. "Please, I'll do whatever you want. Don't hurt him, I'm begging you!"

Honestly, Rainer felt bad for this. "I'm a Warrior" he wrapped his hands around Hale's neck. "I don't believe in begging" with one twist, he snapped Hale's neck. "But I do believe in mercy. Take comfort in the fact that he felt no pain" he smiled at her.

Kenzi screamed. She just watched the person she loved die in front of her. They'd only just started their relationship. Her heart had broken into a million pieces.

"I'll give you a moment to mourn" Rainer approached her, and touched her shoulder only for her to brush him off as best she could with her hands tied. "Soon you'll see, that this was all for the best. Hale's sacrifice won't be in vain" he left her in silence.

Kenzi couldn't look up; because that meant she had to stare at her boyfriend's dead body. So she just cried to herself. As she was left in darkness.

Where was her best friend now?


End file.
